Jackson's Memorial cost $1.4m: Who pays the bill?

The memorial service of Michael Jackson has cost Los Angeles $1.4 million to provide security, traffic control and other service, city officials said Wednesday.

City Controller Wendy Greuel called on the City Council to create a policy declaring who should pay for city services associated with such events.

The $1.4 million bill included $1.1 million in overtime pay for the 4,173 officers who worked to secure Staples Center, Forest Lawn cemetery and other areas that attracted fans and members of the media, the Police Department said in a statement.

Anticipating about 250,000 people would converge on downtown streets for the service, the Police Department deployed 3,240 officers starting at midnight, but there are only about 1,000 fans showed up.

City attorney Carmen Trutanich said his office was investigating how the city can legally press third parties to pick up at least some of the bill.

The city has already set up a web site urging fans to make tax-deductible donations through credit cards, PayPal or check to help defray costs.

Fans have thus far donated $17,000, but contributions have been hampered by technical problems, according to Matt Szabo.

The Jackson memorial was the second recent event that resulted in extraordinary costs at a time when the city is a half-billion dollars in debt and facing employee layoffs.

Last month's victory parade for the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers cost an estimated $2 million.

The memorial cost of Michael Jackson was far less than the initial estimate of $4 million, Matt Szabo said.