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The union that represents Los Angeles police officers has reached a tentative deal to postpone a pair of raises for its members, averting layoffs for as many as 355 officers, at a time when homicides and shooting incidents are steadily rising.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League agreed to delay a pair of scheduled increases — 3% in January 2022 and an additional 1.5% in July 2022 — until 2023, Mayor Eric Garcetti and union officials said Tuesday. In exchange, Garcetti and the City Council will drop plans for eliminating hundreds of filled police officer positions, which was part of the city’s strategy for closing an estimated $675-million budget shortfall by June 30.

The deal, which must be ratified by the union’s members, represents a major breakthrough for city leaders, who struggled to get league board members to come to the bargaining table to discuss the financial crisis, which was sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying business shutdowns.

Tuesday’s announcement represents a major change in direction for the union, which had repeatedly directed its anger at city leaders over LAPD budget cuts and dismissed the idea of delaying raises.

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