A $4.1 million increase in liability costs tied to a spike in legal claims is helping drive Pasadena’s proposed police budget to nearly $132 million next fiscal year as the department ramps up preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Pasadena police officials are scheduled to present the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee in a special meeting on Thursday. The proposal would increase department spending by 8.6% over the current fiscal year, bringing the department’s total recommended budget to approximately $131.9 million.
According to the presentation, the sharp increase in liability costs stems from a spike in claims during Fiscal Year 2025 and a revised methodology for allocating outside legal expenses. Worker’s compensation costs also increased by approximately $860,000.
Personnel expenses account for the largest share of the proposed increase, rising by about $9.6 million, or 9.5%, according to the budget documents. The department attributed the growth to labor agreements, pensions, medical benefits and other employee-related costs.
Despite the increase in spending, the proposal would maintain the department’s current staffing level of 382.25 full-time equivalent positions.
The budget presentation outlines a broad modernization effort tied largely to Pasadena’s expected role in the 2028 Olympic Games and other international events anticipated to impact the city, including the World Cup.
Among the department’s Fiscal Year 2026 accomplishments were the purchase of two Bell 505 helicopters expected to be delivered next fiscal year, upgraded communication equipment for Olympic operations, new ballistic shields and vests for the department’s SWAT unit and procurement of new mobile data computers for patrol vehicles.
The department also reported purchasing four new patrol and K-9 trucks, adding horse trailers for its mounted unit and beginning the design phase for rebuilding the department’s firing range.
Looking ahead to LA28 preparations, police officials said the department plans to expand command and leadership training, dispatcher preparation, intelligence operations and international event-planning coordination.
The proposed work plan also calls for continued investment in technology tools, including analytical software, thermal tracking software, indoor drones and an increased footprint of automatic license plate readers.
Plans also include development of an active intelligence center intended to coordinate police operations and information sharing tied to major events.
The presentation establishes several department performance goals for Fiscal Year 2027, including a target response time of three minutes or less for priority-one emergency calls.
“Achieving this ensures faster response to life threatening emergencies, improves public safety outcomes, and strengthens community confidence in emergency services,” the presentation states.
Another proposed benchmark calls for answering 90% of 911 calls within 15 seconds, consistent with national emergency communications standards.
The department also set goals for 100% compliance with California’s Racial Identity Profiling Act reporting requirements and increasing homicide and burglary clearance rates above national averages reported by the FBI’s National Incident Based Reporting System. Current homicide clearance rates were listed at 64%, with a target of 69%, while burglary clearance rates currently stand at 17%, with a target of 22%.
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