While most city agencies are facing another year of cost-cutting, the LAPD would get an additional $56 million for fiscal 2011-12 under a preliminary budget approved Tuesday by the civilian Police Commission.

The increase would bring the Los Angeles Police Department budget to $1.2 billion, a bump of nearly 5 percent above the $1.17 billion allocated for the current fiscal year.

Nearly $44 million of the increase would pay for salary increases and overtime for sworn officers and civilian employees, according to LAPD. The balance would help fund in-car video cameras and other technical upgrades.

However, the proposed budget - which must still be approved by the City Council - does not take into account any furloughs or contract changes negotiated with employee unions.

"There no guarantee it will be adopted as is," said Gerald Chaleff, an LAPD administrator who oversees the department's finances.

The department expects to lose 156 civilian workers through attrition and layoffs, but it hopes to hire back 87 employees - including mechanics, lab technicians and detention officers - in order to keep the LAPD operating effectively, Chaleff said.

While the department has proposed increasing salaries, it is looking to save money in other areas, such as leasing rather than buying replacement vehicles.

"We have reduced our request in every other way," Chaleff said. "We all understand the situation the city is in, projecting a deficit of $350 million. We understand that and took that into account."