International Police Museum of Southern California

Start of the Museum

While primarily specializing in police hats, Capt. Gwaltney also began collecting any and all items pertaining to foreign police forces.  Annual vacations were scheduled to countries that he didn’t have hats from.  As a member of the International Police Association, he received many hats from foreign cops who visited him or who were invited for Ride-a-Longs with HPPD.  During his trips abroad, he visited every Police Museum that he could locate.  There are only a small number of Police Museums in the United States, fewer yet which display international police memorabilia.

By 1998, Capt. Gwaltney had amassed 1000 plus police hats, of which 300 were displayed at the Police Department along with many framed displays of foreign patches, badges, and insignia.  Many school classes scheduled tours of the Police Department specifically to view the Museum and the Museum is highlighted during the annual Police Department “Open House”.  The concept of an “Official Non-Profit” Museum was developed as a retirement goal by Capt. Gwaltney and was a logical venue in which to donate his personal collection of police memorabilia.  He formed a Museum Board of Directors from members of the IPA who were also police and military memorabilia collectors.  Personal funds were used to acquire tax exempt and non-profit status and in April of 1998, The International Police Museum of Southern California became an official “501 (c)(3) Non-Profit” Museum. 

Visiting the Museum

The Museum is located at 6538 Miles Avenue, Huntington Park, CA.  It is the building north of the police department.  If anyone is interested in visiting the Museum or who have any questions regarding financially assisting the Museum, please contact our Curator, Capt. Michael Gwaltney (Ret.) at (323)826-6627.  Capt. Gwaltney may also be reached at his e-mail address of .

Museum Hours
Monday               closed
Tuesday              closed
Wednesday         10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Thursday             10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday                 closed
Saturday             10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday               closed