Los Angeles spends nearly $480 million on police lawsuits since 2019, straining city budget
The City of Los Angeles has disbursed almost $480 million in settlements and judgments tied to LAPD lawsuits over the past five and a half years, raising alarms about fiscal pressure on public services.
An analysis of city-attorney records reveals that Los Angeles has paid roughly $480 million to settle nearly 2,000 police-related lawsuits since January 2019, a figure that has strained the municipal budget. Annual payouts more than doubled from 2019 to 2025, hitting $178.6 million in 2024 before dropping to just above $100 million in 2025, with $20.3 million already paid in the first half of one outlet year. The settlements span excessive-force allegations, traffic-collision claims—accounting for about a quarter of payouts—and large awards for police shootings, especially involving individuals under the influence or in mental-health crises.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia warned that the outlays are diverting money from road repairs, sidewalk fixes and other essential services. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto blamed the rise on legacy cases and a national trend toward multimillion-dollar verdicts, while experts cite increased public awareness and backlog clearance as additional factors. To curb future costs, the department rehired former official Arif Alikhan to study lawsuit reduction strategies, but union leaders and some officers argue the city should fight more claims rather than settle.
Why it matters
Taxpayers face higher costs for essential services as the city pays billions to resolve police lawsuits.
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