The 2028 L.A. Olympics are nearly four years away, but Los Angeles and USC are already preparing. USC will host various competitions at the Galen Center and the Coliseum, which will even host a portion of the opening ceremony.
On Wednesday, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy brought in a panel of security experts to talk about what it will take to make the 2028 games safe for everyone. Speakers from the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, and the LA28 games joined USC’s public safety chief to discuss the security strategy for the games.
Lauretta Hill, Assistant Vice President and Chief of Public Safety for USC, said careful coordination and cooperation between agencies will be key.
“It’s going to be a heavy lift for the region, but we have the right people in place and planning profess to make this be the best games ever,” Hill said.
Panelists stressed the importance of networking across different areas of expertise, including logistics, personnel, tactical intelligence, and cyber intelligence. They said they’ll use emerging technologies to communicate more quickly and efficiently.
The University Park campus itself will be involved in the 2028 games, hosting the Olympic Media Village. As the games approach, Hill encourages students and others to think about volunteering for the historic event.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of opportunities for USC, not just our public safety, not just our transportation, but our students, our faculty and staff to be involved,” she said. “There’s going to be a lot of volunteer opportunities.”
The last time the U.S. hosted the Olympics was in 2002, when the Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah.