Last week, we found ourselves opponents in the World Series, but allies where it matters most: Keeping the people of our cities safe. While the Dodgers and Blue Jays competed in the World Series, our police departments came together, uniting over something more lasting than the Commissioner’s Cup: our commitment to public safety.
As the World Series was being played at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Police Department hosted the International Leadership in Mass Events course, a program designed in the “Spirit of the LA Olympics” to bring together law enforcement leaders from around the world to share lessons learned and best practices in managing mass public events. Our goal is to ensure that cities like Los Angeles are fully prepared to host upcoming global events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
Among the participants were representatives from the Toronto Police Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and counterparts from Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Spain, and Australia, alongside local partners from across Los Angeles County. Each brought the after-action reviews and insights from their national experience, such as their Olympics, F1 races, and events at the Vatican. What we covered was how to keep crowds safe while maintaining open, welcoming cities; how to manage real-time information sharing; how to coordinate between police, emergency responders, and elected officials when every second counts.
This exchange wasn’t just about tactics and procedure; it was about trust. In today’s world, where the safety of our communities depends as much on relationships as it does on resources, this represents a broader strategy of subnational diplomacy. Cities and local governments often find themselves at the forefront of encounters that transcend borders: public safety, crowd management, cybersecurity, and misinformation, among them. While national governments work (or don’t) to address these issues at scale, it’s local government that can move quickly, share intelligence directly, and implement practical solutions where people actually exist.
The bond between Los Angeles and Toronto is a perfect example. Despite being separated by nearly a continent and policing under different governments, our two cities face remarkably similar challenges: managing large sporting events, hosting major demonstrations, and maintaining the safety of millions of residents and tourists. Through programs like this, we’re not simply learning from each other; we’re building a shared foundation of readiness that benefits both our nations.
As we look ahead to the coming years of constant mass events, the lessons of this course will help make people’s experiences around the globe focused on the events themselves and not that which goes wrong. They’ll also ensure that when the world’s attention turns to our cities, what stands out isn’t just the spectacle of the games, but the quiet professionalism and coordination that make them possible.
While some raise concerns that political polarization has created inaction in our national capitals, the future of diplomacy may be increasingly “sub-national.” Cities have to step into the vacuum and form partnerships that deliver results where national governments cannot. This kind of cooperation doesn’t just strengthen public safety; it restores faith that government can still serve its most fundamental purpose: improving the lives of its citizens.
So while the Blue Jays may have fallen short this season, Toronto can claim a different kind of win, one that will echo in the safety and resilience of our cities for years to come. Because when our departments collaborate, everyone wins.
