Mayor vows no cuts for cops

Even with a sluggish economy and the prospects of a more than $400 million shortfall, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vowed Monday to oppose any reductions in the Los Angeles Police Department budget this year after seven straight years of reduced crime rates. Daily News.

Celebrating a drop in homicides to the lowest levels in 30 years along with reductions in all serious and gang crimes in the city, Villaraigosa joined with LAPD Chief William Bratton and other law enforcement officials to assert that he will continue plans to expand the LAPD.

"We will not be deterred from growing the LAPD," the mayor said. "I will not back down from the idea that we need to continue to put police officers on the street to make Los Angeles safe."