LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass inducted the city’s new police chief in a joyous ceremony Thursday, but Jim McDonnell faces some serious obstacles as he takes over the police department.

One of the biggest hurdles McDonnell will have to overcome is the department’s inability to bring in new police officers.

Earlier this year, the number of sworn officers in the LAPD fell below 8,800, the lowest number in decades. In 2018, when former Police Chief Michel Moore took the helm, the department had about 10,000 officers around.

This summer, the Los Angeles City Council approved a huge pay raise for police officers in hopes of boosting recruitment. Starting pay for new recruits jumped from just over $74,000 a year to more than $86,000. By 2027, that number rises to $94,000 per year.

But even with those pay raises, the LAPD’s funding is behind.

For fiscal year 2025, the department’s budget is $1.98 billion, which is more than the $1.61 billion budget in 2019 — but adjusted for inflation, it’s actually about $140 million more less than in 2019.

“The first priority is tackling crime, particularly violent and property crime,” McDonnell said at Thursday’s ceremony. “We will assemble specialized teams to tailor responses to meet the specific needs of our communities.”

One bright spot for McDonnell: LA’s violent crime numbers have leveled off over the past five years.

Homicides, robberies and rapes fell in 2023 from the average seen over the past four years, while aggravated assaults rose slightly.

McDonnell promised to rely on community involvement as well as the latest technology to make LA safer.

“We will adopt the most effective data-driven strategies to reduce crime and enhance public safety,” he said.