Los Angeles School Board cuts funding for school police

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board has approved a $25 million budget cut for the Los Angeles School Police Department (LASPD). This reduction represents 28% of the department's total budget and will result in the elimination of 133 positions.

The decision follows long-standing advocacy from the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and Black Lives Matter activists, who argued in 2020 that armed police in schools make students, particularly those from minority communities, feel unsafe. These groups suggested that resources should instead be redirected toward counselors, nurses, and librarians.

The vote was split among board members. Four members—Monica Garcia, Jackie Goldberg, Nick Melvoin, and Kelly Gonez—voted for the funding cuts, while Richard Vladovic, George McKenna, and Scott Schmerelson voted against the measure.