Representatives Tran, Kamlager-Dove Urge Los Angeles County Leaders to Prioritize Public Safety Concerns Amidst Ongoing Contract Negotiation

Los Angeles, CA - Today, U.S. Representatives Derek Tran (CA-45) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) sent a letter to Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, and Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) President Robert Pippin, encouraging all parties to make progress on law enforcement contract negotiations ahead of several high-profile international events being hosted in Southern California. Contract negotiations between ALADS and Los Angeles County have been ongoing since 2024, affecting officer recruitment and retention and current capacity to adequately address and prevent crime throughout the county.

Improvements to officer recruitment and retention in the LASD are essential ahead of several large-scale events taking place in Southern California over the next few years, including the NBA All-Star Weekend and FIFA World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl LXI in 2027, and the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2028. Currently, about 1,700 LASD deputy positions are vacant, representing about a quarter of the department's total authorized positions. Finalizing a fair labor contract is critical to provide all parties much much-needed certainty about Los Angeles County's law enforcement infrastructure and preparedness ahead of large-scale events that will draw millions of visitors to Southern California.

Read the full text of the letter HERE.

"As a U.S. Army Veteran, I have a profound appreciation for the law enforcement officers who answer the call to service, often at great personal risk. Our law enforcement heroes are essential to our public safety," said Representative Tran. "At the end of the day, this is about keeping Southern California families safe with major international events on the horizon. It is my sincere hope that an agreement is reached between all parties as soon as possible."

"Southern California's ability to safely host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympics, and other major sporting events depends on well-resourced and appropriately trained local law enforcement," said Representative Kamlager-Dove. "As preparations continue, it is essential that the Association for LA Deputy Sheriffs and LA County reach an agreement that addresses public safety, ensures the department can manage increased tourism, and provides fair compensation for officers while ensuring that other critical county social service needs are also met."

It has been reported that staffing shortages in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) have been widespread. LASD officers have been working without a salary contract for the 2025-2028 period for nearly one year-a challenge that has factored significantly in the ability to retain and recruit law enforcement officers.

On January 8, 2026, Representative Tran secured over $1 million for crime prevention efforts in Southern California following the passage of a bipartisan government spending bill through the House. Once signed into law, $1,031,000 will be awarded to the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative, operated through the Hope Center of Orange County in Fullerton, CA. The federal dollars that Representative Tran fought for will facilitate first response by licensed social workers to non-violent crises, increasing law enforcement officers' capacity to prevent violent crime and hold offenders accountable.

As a Co-Chair of the Democratic Caucus National Security Task Force and a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Tran has also signed onto multiple letters expressing support for local public safety efforts, including letters opposing the unjust deployment of federal forces to patrol U.S. cities and advocating for increased resourcesfor state and local law enforcement agencies to perform their duties safely and effectively.

###

Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.