Gunfire echoed from a dormitory at UCLA on Wednesday morning as a large contingent of LAPD officers responded to the scene. This was all part of an extensive simulation of an attack at the actual location of the Olympic Village for the upcoming Summer 2028 Games.
Hendrick Hall, which is intended to accommodate athletes during LA28, served as the backdrop for a mock terrorist attack designed for a SWAT drill. This exercise featured multiple police aircraft and a multitude of heavily armed officers.
During the five-hour training session, around 60 actors portrayed terrified hostages, frantic shooters, and bloodied victims calling for help. This was, after all, a rehearsal for securing the Olympic Village in case of an emergency during the Games.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell remarked that “everything fell into place” during the exercise, which notably included a police helicopter deploying officers onto the roof of the dormitory.
“While we focus on training for the Olympics, which indeed is a part of this, it’s also about preparing for any situations that might arise on a campus or any other facility,” he mentioned.
The drills simulated active shooter scenarios and explosions within the eight-story dorm as SWAT teams rushed to intervene, equipped with tactical vests, automatic weapons, and battering rams.
McDonnell indicated the department would do everything necessary to secure the Olympic Games, even though the city currently lacks the number of officers and funding needed for effective protection during the event.
“This will be the Athletes Village for the Olympics in 2028,” McDonnell stated. “A key priority is ensuring everything functions flawlessly here.”
According to the Olympics Special Events Unit, which is in charge of security preparations, LA will require about 6,700 officers at eight different venues in 2028.
In total, around 7,500 officers will be needed daily to ensure the safety of the Olympics— a figure that the LAPD, which currently employs approximately 8,550 officers, cannot meet on its own.
To compensate for the shortfall, the LAPD plans to enlist officers from other local departments and even from outside California. However, this would mean that out of the 2,500 officers assigned to Olympic venues, only about 6,000 would be available for the city’s other security needs.
“We anticipate a significant influx of people for the Games,” McDonnell said. “Our aim is to provide enhanced service throughout the city,” he added.
This capacity issue isn’t limited to the Games. The LAPD has been grappling with daily policing demands that have been challenging to meet.
In a previous discussion, McDonnell shared that the department has seen a decline in officers, losing hundreds while attempting to bolster the force by adding another 4,000 personnel. The department’s uniformed officers totaled approximately 8,550 last month, which is about 200 fewer than earlier in the year.
The chief also disclosed that the LAPD ideally needs around 12,500 officers for adequate city protection, updating a previous estimate of 12,000 announced earlier this year.
McDonnell explained that the strategy to safeguard the Games would begin with a focus on the venues themselves, creating a “yellow zone” around them that would be heavily defended. Additionally, an area beyond these zones would receive “extra coverage” according to daily requirements.
“This will be quite resource-intensive, as you can imagine, to maintain around the clock,” McDonnell acknowledged.
“We plan to uphold a strong security presence for the duration of the Games, including the period leading up to and following the event, extending into the Paralympic Games as well. That’s a lengthy 87-day span where it’s essential to keep that area secured,” he explained.
