Visiting the Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum

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Police junkies in Los Angeles or visiting there will be delighted by the Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum. The museum is housed in the former Highland Park police station which opened its doors in 1925 and closed in 1983 to make way for a newer facility. The building lay derelict for 18 years until the property was purchased by the Los Angeles Police Historical Society who restored the renaissance revival style structure and opened the museum in 2001. Visitors enter through the main entrance where desk sergeants once awaited. The gift store is to the right and walls are covered with vintage views including those of the Highland Park station during its heyday. It is best to begin outside in the back to see the collection of vintage police vehicles dating from a 1920s patrol car. There is a helicopter, two paddy wagons, armored SWAT vehicles and motorized bomb squad shield. A restored Kawasaki police motorcycle is displayed inside. Visitors can pose sitting inside the helicopter and on the motorcycle. A bullet strewn civilian car also sits outside. On the way to the back is a room containing a display on communications with various equipment and collection of patrolman radios through the decades. Re-entering the station, visitors pass by bleak jail cells that once housed detainees. Situated in front of the cells are display cases containing collections of cell locks and keys, leg irons, thumb locks and handcuffs from around the world. There is even a small ball and chain. Visitors may stand where prisoners once stood and take mug shots. A vintage police street phone box stands in a hallway and beneath glass is a variety of billy clubs. The main exhibit gallery is on the second floor in the former squad room and lining the walls along the stairs is a pictorial history of women in uniform. In fact, the LAPD hired the nation’s first policewoman and created the first SWAT team. Next, visitors are greeted by a variety of exhibits covering the history of the LAPD. A row of mannequins wear uniforms issued during the 140 years of the department. Displayed are all the badges worn through the years. A saddle represents the equestrian unit. One wall pays tribute to William Parker, the longest tenured chief. A room is devoted to chronicling the 1997 North Hollywood Bank of America shootout. Visitors can relive some television nostalgia looking at memorabilia from the Jack Webb series “Dragnet” and “Adam-12.” The museum is comprehensive and well done.