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Municipal Police Departments in Los Angeles County

Officer counts as of October 1, 2009

For cities not listed below, see Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

For cities not listed above, see Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Almost all Los Angeles County municipalities not listed above contract with the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department for police services. The only exception is the City of Santa Fe Springs which,
in 1995, became the first municipality in Los Angeles County to contract with an adjoining city (City
of Whittier) for police services. In 2003, the City of Cudahy ended their contract with the Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department and contracted with the neighboring Maywood Police Department for
police services (see next paragraph).

In an unprecedented move by any California city, the City of Maywood disbanded almost all
municipal departments and services, including the Maywood Police Department, effective June 30,
2010.  The city council was forced to respond to cancellation of the city's workman's compensation
and commercial insurance coverage by the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (JPIA) due to
a poor claims history over the period of 2005 to 2010.  This negative claims history included a
number of expensive lawsuits against the police department.  After dismissal of the police department,
the city contracted with the the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for police services.  The
Maywood Police Department also had a contract with the City of Cudahy for police services, after
Cudahy cancelled their contract with the Sheriff's Department in 2003.  With the disbanding of the
Maywood Police Department, Cudahy was forced to re-contract with the Sheriff.

After a long, bitter relationship between Compton City Council and the Compton Police Department,
the council voted in July 2000 to disband the department and contract with the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Department for police services. The council cited financial savings. Members of the department
attributed the move to a vendetta against the department.

In 1995, the City of Hawaiian Gardens discontinued its contract with the Los Angeles Sheriff's
Department and formed Los Angeles County’s newest police department with 20 officers. A few years
later, however, faced with a budget crisis, the City Council voted over the objections of residents to
disband the department and reestablish a contract with the Sheriff.

Many police departments in Los Angeles County use reserve officers--officers that perform part-time
law enforcement duties. Contact a police department of your choice to see whether you might become
involved. For the LAPD, call (213) 847-4766. For the L.A. County Sheriff, visit the
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Reserve Program.

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