The LAPD Paintball team has, and continues to be a force in the paintball wars between police and fire personnel across the country. Formed in April of 2002, the paintball team premiered at the Police and Fire games in Santa Ana. Since then, both the sport and the team has grown.
The team currently fields 18 players but has had as many as 21 players recently. The team will practice twice a month and takes one DP off after a competition. In a typical year, the paintball team will compete in 2-3 competitions. Some of these events include the World Police and Fire Games, the Nevada Police and Fire Games and the Western States Police and Fire Games.
Part of what makes a great team is the ability to communicate. Potential players are referred to Officer Miguel Lopez, who plays professionally, or Officer Travis Jones. They look for players who have the ability to communicate effectively, as this is an important skill on the playing field. Any interested players need not have their own equipment, as most current players on the team have sufficient amounts of gear to loan out. Once a new team member is added, they can then purchase their own equipment.
The next event you can catch the LAPD Paintball team will be at the Western States Police and Fire Game being held in Santa Clarita, California in June of 2009.
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