Sheriff's Deputies In LA County Slated To Take Home More Than $500 Million In Overtime Pay This Year

In the first quarter of 2025, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spent over $131 million on deputy overtime, setting a troubling pace to exceed $500 million by year's end—an amount far higher than the $420 million spent in 2024. This ballooning figure reflects not just staffing shortages—1,530 unfilled positions—but also a misplaced focus on policing instead of investing in the well-being of communities. As deputies are forced to work 80 to 100 hours of overtime each month, the real cost is paid by both overworked employees and the communities they patrol.

Deputy Anthony Meraz, who has spent years on the force, voiced what many feel: "Tired employees don't make the best decisions all the time." This reality is more than an internal crisis—it's a sign that our public safety system is out of balance. Communities, especially Black and Brown neighborhoods historically targeted by over-policing, need investments in housing, healthcare, and schools—not endless overtime for deputies.

Sheriff Robert Luna admitted the department is straining to cover shifts, saying, "I have to make it work with the people I have," while praising deputies for their grueling labor. But communities are calling for real solutions, not endless band-aids. Rosemead Mayor Margaret Clark wrote, "I have seen firsthand the physical and mental fatigue our deputy sheriffs are experiencing due to excessive overtime," adding to calls for deeper change. Union president Richard Pippin warned of "catastrophic consequences," pointing to a system that prioritizes police paychecks over public health and safety.

Despite deputies getting pay raises last year, Pippin says contract talks have stalled, and as Supervisor Hilda Solis emphasized, "The issue is not about funding." The Board of Supervisors has already approved training dollars, but the Sheriff's Department struggles to fill academy classes. Meanwhile, new deputies earn about $79,494 a year—yet recruitment lags, and more leave than join.

This cycle of ballooning overtime and stressed workers can't continue. For Black, Brown, and working-class communities who see their needs constantly deprioritized, it's clear that investing in care—not more policing—must be the path forward. Schools, health services, and housing need these funds far more than another year of overtime.

Link: ABC7