The Los Angeles Police Department was formed in 1869. It is one of the largest municipal police departments in the United States with a police force of almost 10,000 officers protecting a population of over four million Angelenos. The motto of the LAPD is “To Protect and to Serve”. It is a mission statement that is seen on all officers’ vehicles and is ingrained in the spirit of the department from academy training to the driving purpose of their profession.