Central to police work here in Los Angeles are two functions — protecting and serving. These activities are so representative of the LAPD, they are the sole contents of the Department motto. Some time ago, we took a little license with the motto and adapted it for museum use: “To Collect and Preserve.” This was done simply because these two functions are essential to museum work. So much so that we have been extremely busy doing just this, collecting and preserving. We’ve also been busy with an offshoot of this, exhibiting.

In very short order we expect to unveil the Boeckmann Gallery of the Los Angeles Police Commission. This project has been in the works for some time, and the final touches are currently being applied. Throughout the years, the police commission has woven its own unique history. Part of this history can be attributed to the many fascinating chapters of LA’s own history. Yet another part has to do with the many and varied roles the commission plays in the governance of the LAPD. The exhibit showcases some of these many functions. Former Commission President Bert Boeckmann, a longtime LAPM and LAPD supporter, has made this exhibit possible and we look forward to opening the gallery to the public soon.

When the Boeckmann gallery opens, some of our preservation efforts will be in evidence. As we were assembling the contents of one of the displays, the need arose for a photograph that depicted an officer with a Department shotgun. As it turned out we had just received the preliminary results of our photographic negative preservation process. Contained within the first batch of digital files was a photo of a motor officer carrying a shotgun. A perfect of example of our need to collect and preserve — and exhibit. So, this photo will be on display in the Boeckmann gallery. Although we have this great photograph preserved for the coming generations, we don’t have the officer’s identity. Anyone who might know this, please call or e-mail us.

As work began to wind down on the commission gallery, we turned our efforts to another existing exhibit. For some years, our uniform gallery was displayed in a second-floor office area. The uniforms were some distance from visitors, often preventing them from enjoying an upclose inspection of our historical finery. The gallery was recently re-worked with an eye towards enhancing the path through the second floor and reducing the distance between visitor and history. Construction has moved along steadily and we expect to deliver a greatly improved and well-presented uniform gallery in the very near future. We have another former police commissioner, Marguerite “Mama J” Justice to thank for this exhibit. It was her generosity that made this exhibit possible.

Even though all of this activity is swirling about the museum, we took time to participate in a couple of notable events. During police memorial week, the Historical Society assisted with a commemoration of the 100 year anniversary of the loss of Captain and former Chief of Police Walter Auble. We were also there to support the Memorial Foundation at the annual Police-Celebrity Golf tournament. The Historical Society was also present for the Valley Traffic event and the bomb squad’s open house at their new facility. Each of these was wonderful in its own right, and right in the midst of all these great happenings was the museum’s busiest day of the year, the annual Museums of the Arroyo day.