As Los Angeles grew to a population of over 5 million, crime was getting out of control. Budget cuts, low recruitment, and a rash of abuse lawsuits, left the LAPD unable to cope with the rising crime rate. In 2006 the city council passed proposition PSO357 authorizing PSO's (Private Security Officers) to handle all misdemeanor, infraction, and truancy cases. These are the stories of some of these brave PSO's.—Dale Buchanan