Council honors LAPD reserve officers who served in Paris; member urges expanding paid roles for reserves ahead of LA 2028

The Los Angeles City Council on April 4 recognized members of the Los Angeles Police Department reserve corps who volunteered in uniform to support security operations at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and council members discussed policy steps to expand the reserves' role ahead of Los Angeles 2028.

Councilmember Lee presented the group and said the city should “think critically” about permitting reserve officers to take paid assignments for certain large events under programs where external entities cover costs. Lee said that change would expand capacity, improve retention and recognize the reserves’ contributions.

Bernard Galili, introduced by the council as an LAPD reserve officer who deployed to Paris, described the deployment and the reserves’ training. Galili told the council that about 30 reserve officers volunteered to serve in Paris and characterized the deployment as historic: “Después de mil ochocientos oficiales desplazados en Francia, entre Los Ángeles fue la más grande representación fuera de la Unión Europea y la única, el único equipo de servir totalmente sin pago.” (Translation: “After 1,800 officers were deployed in France, Los Angeles was the largest representation outside the European Union and the only team to serve entirely unpaid.”)

Galili said the reserves completed the same training as full‑time officers and that the experience provided operational lessons useful to prepare for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. He noted the department’s reserve corps numbers — “our 400 reserve members” — and said they serve as a force multiplier for the department.

Councilmember Lee and other members said the reserves’ Paris deployment provided useful operational experience and recommended the council and city administration consider policy or program changes to allow reserves to perform paid traffic and event posts when external entities cover costs, which supporters said would help with retention and incentives for volunteers. No formal motion or ordinance was recorded on the proposal at the meeting.

Galili invited council members to attend a recognition banquet scheduled for May 3; council members and other speakers thanked the reserve officers for their service and noted the deployment’s value in building relationships and operational capacity for future major events.

The presentation included remarks from other council members, who said the reserves’ volunteer service abroad reflected community commitment and would inform planning for Los Angeles 2028.