Former LA sheriff warns police exodus has left city in 'worst place possible' to host World Cup, Olympics

Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva sounds the alarm on staff shortages and security concerns for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.

Staff shortages and security concerns for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics have put Los Angeles police on full alert, wondering how to accommodate the massive influx of crowds – and crime that could come with it – in a few short years. 

Former L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva sounded the alarm Wednesday on the threat posted by dwindling law enforcement numbers, adding that it's "no mystery" why the city is struggling to attract people to the job.

"You have a horrendous political climate where every politician was jumping over themselves in the summer of 2020 to denounce law enforcement, create a very hostile work environment [and] no one wants a job anymore," he told "America's Newsroom." "Then you have weak leadership in law enforcement that double down on that because they're the first to throw their own employees under the bus. Then they wonder why they can attract people to the job."

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A general view of the SoFi Stadium home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers and a venue for the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

The LAPD has shed over 1,000 sworn officers since 2019, according to department data. Meanwhile, crime is on the rise and arrests are declining.

Looking ahead to the two global sporting events coming in the next few years, Villanueva warned the city should be "building up" to make sure everything runs smoothly, noting security preparations for the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics were underway several years in