The vice president of a Los Angeles police union told officers to flee the city and find a place of work that respects them.
In a now-deleted post on Facebook, written a few weeks before the expiration of the LAPD's contract on June 30, the vice president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), Jerretta Sandoz, told city officers to "go somewhere that respects the work" they do "and you don't have to beg for a great contract."
"Go somewhere that has a city council or city manager that openly acknowledges the great work you do, go somewhere that doesn't have two or more City Council members who hate you (no exaggeration)," she wrote.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Sandoz's comment outlined the challenges faced by officers in California's largest city, including an unsupportive City Council, a ban on displaying the "thin blue line" flag, and an unsatisfactory contract.
Last week, the number of officers in LA was 9,027, which is about 1,000 less than in 2019.
The LA Times wrote that Sandoz's post "raised eyebrows among some inside the department, who questioned why a high-ranking union official — venting or not — would endorse the departure of cops at a moment when the LAPD is hemorrhaging officers."
In a follow-up interview with the LA Times, Sandoz defended her position, stating, "My comments were part of a larger online thread about officers who stated they already decided to leave the LAPD. And I stand by every word I wrote to those who decided, or are strongly considering leaving the LAPD for another agency."
According to Police Chief Michel Moore, per the LA Times, the city's decline in officers began with the anti-police sentiments following the George Floyd protests. Moore also mentioned that a backlog of background investigations is delaying potential recruits' admission to the academy.
Meanwhile, according to Fox News, crime and homelessness in Los Angeles are spiking. Last week, Mayor Karen Bass signed an updated declaration of emergency on homelessness, which grants her additional powers to expedite the building of more homes.
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