City officials say the Los Angeles Police Department has expanded to 9,895 officers, its largest number ever. That's 43 more officers than the previous high mark recorded in June 1998.

The size of the police force has been a long-running concern in the nation's second-largest city, which has one of the smallest officer-to-resident ratios of any major city. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the milestone Monday on the eve of elections in which he is seeking another term. Villaraigosa has a goal of reaching 10,000 officers by year's end.