LAPD's sexual assault, homeless outreach units among several to be disbanded

Los Angeles police is disbanding several units in response to the city's fiscal emergency, the department said in statement to personnel.

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Friday, November 20, 2020
LAPD's sexual assault, homeless outreach units to be disbanded
Los Angeles police is disbanding several units in response to the city's fiscal emergency, the department said in a statement to personnel.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles police is disbanding several units in response to the city's fiscal emergency, the department said in a statement to personnel.

"A City of Los Angeles fiscal emergency has created an unexpected Department budgetary crisis and shortfall," the memo obtained by Eyewitness News stated. "As a result, the Chief of Police is making significant and difficult changes to adapt to the current financial and personnel shortages."

LAPD units focused on sexual assaults, animal cruelty and homeless outreach will be disbanded. The Safer Cities Initiative in the Mission area, and the Burglary Special Section and Cargo Auto Theft Detail of the Commercial Crimes Division are also set to be cut.

RELATED: Los Angeles City Council votes to cut LAPD budget by $150 million

The Los Angeles City Council approved a $150 million cut to the LAPD'sa budget for the next fiscal year, a move that followed activists' mounting calls to "defund the police."

Specialized detail agencies will be downsized as well. That will include the Hollywood Entertainment Detail and the Pacific Area Beach Detail in Venice Beach.

Other units set to be downsized include the Robbery Homicide Division, Commercial Crimes Division, Metropolitan Division, Traffic Group and Labor Relations unit.

The number of officers and personnel affected by the cutbacks has not been finalized.

The move comes months after the Los Angeles City Council approved a $150 million cut to the LAPD's budget, a move that followed activists' mounting calls to "defund the police."

RELATED: LAPD preparing for deep budget cuts, reorganization

The video above is from a previous report.