A Los Angeles father who returned home to find his house broken into was placed on hold for 58 minutes after calling 911. Evan Lovett, a local content creator and former Los Angeles Times sports writer, said the dispatcher initially answered within two minutes but then transferred him to a non-emergency hold that lasted nearly an hour.
When police finally arrived—six minutes after he got off hold—they informed Lovett that professional thieves had targeted his home. The burglars used a WiFi jammer to disable his non-hardwired security camera before stealing a heavy safe filled with irreplaceable family heirlooms, including baseball cards and Roman-era coins passed down from his late father.
Lovett noted that his neighborhood has seen a surge in break-ins, with organized burglary crews targeting homes throughout Los Angeles. “Unfortunately, there have been a rash of break-ins not just in my neighborhood but throughout Los Angeles,” he said. “There are burglary crews. I know there’s a South American crew from Chile.” He added that there have been two more burglaries in his neighborhood just in the past week.
Los Angeles is facing a $1 billion budget shortfall, with some officials, including City Controller Kenneth Mejia, pointing to police overtime and liability claims as areas for potential cuts. However, law enforcement officials warn that reducing the police budget could further strain an already understaffed force. Los Angeles has half the number of officers per resident as Chicago and New York, while covering a much larger area.
Currently, base pay for Los Angeles police officers is $97,300 upon academy graduation, with an additional $6,500 per year for patrol assignments. Overtime pay is calculated at 1.5 times regular wages, meaning officers earn $70.17 per hour for overtime shifts. Studies suggest that excessive overtime use leads to officer fatigue, increasing the risk of errors that result in lawsuits and liability claims. Hiring more officers could reduce overtime expenses and mitigate costly mistakes, ultimately saving the city money while improving public safety.
