The former Los Angeles Police Chief says the city is the “worst possible venue for the Olympics” as security cannot be guaranteed.
The insidethegames.biz portal quoted the words of Alex Villanueva, who said that the host of the 2028 Summer Pentathlon Games is fundamentally unsuitable for hosting the Olympic Games from a security point of view. The former mayor, who served from 2018 to 2022, blamed politicians for the decline in police officers.
“It’s a terrible atmosphere, the politicians have created a very hostile work environment and no one wants to work as a police officer anymore” His security concerns were corroborated by Villanueva, who said law enforcement effectiveness has been further reduced by misappropriation of funds affecting the area.
“We will not have enough manpower to create a safe environment for the Olympic events. More people are needed, while proper training takes too long.” – stated Villanueva, who also objected to the fact that homeless people come to Los Angeles from all over the country.
The portal writes that the Los Angeles Police Department currently employs nearly nine thousand police officers, while in 2009 this number was a record 9,895.
Cover Photo:
The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles lights up on September 13, 2017, after the International Olympic Committee awarded the right to host the 2024 Summer Games in Paris and the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. (Photo: MTI/EPA/Eugene Garcia)