Volunteers filling for city

With the city's budget facing constant reductions and staffs being cut through layoffs and early retirements, Los Angeles is relying more and more on an army of volunteers to supplement its services. Daily News.

The city's work force has been reduced by some 4,000 workers in the last year alone through early retirements and layoffs, while departments have been limited in their ability to fill vacant positions.

On any given week, upwards of 25,000 people give their own time to help out, whether it's parents coaching their children in soccer, basketball and other sports or people patrolling their neighborhoods as reserve Los Angeles police officers.