Law enforcement history can be an interesting subject for senior travelers, and the LAPD Museum is an excellent destination. The city first had a paid police force in 1869 of six officers when there were 100,000 residents.

Today, for LA’s population of nearly 4 million, there are about 10,000 officers on the force, supported by 3,000 civilian employees. In your visit to LA, consider three places to explore the history of LAPD and learn about it's current operations: The Los Angeles Police Museum (6045 York Blvd.) is housed in an old police station in the city's Highland Park neighborhood. The museum is dedicated to preserving, exhibiting and interpreting the history of the LAPD. Adult admission is $10, kids are free and parking is also free. The LAPD museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month.

The Los Angeles Police Academy is located in Elysian Park, in the hills next to Dodger Stadium. The Academy started as a private gun and country club for officers. A club still operates there, the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club (1880 Academy Drive). It includes a shooting range and training for officers, along with recreational facilities.

While the Academy and facilities are not open to the public, the gift shop is. It offers very unique LAPD and LA-branded items which make great gifts for kids. Uniforms and other tactical gear is also sold to officers. The Police Academy also has a cafe open to the public.

LAPD Headquarters (built in 2009) in downtown LA (2111 East 1st Street), replaced the historic Parker Center building, featured on many television shows and movies. There are no public tours, but a rotating exhibit is shown in the lobby, along with LAPD artifacts. The cafeteria is open to the public and is a fun place to eat lunch in a room filled with cops. Kids will love it.

Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society is in the heart of Hollywood (1355 North Cahuenga Blvd.). As long as your LA visit involves police history, why not also experience firefighter history. Recent additions and renovations make it a great choice for kids. There are lots of exhibits and interactive displays with the message of fire safety. The museum is open on Saturdays only, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.