Police Academy 2 Filming Spots Today: What Changed
Tracing Police Academy 2 today
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment was filmed in Los Angeles and Pasadena, California, with the most recognizable surviving locations today including the Old L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park, Fire Station 23 in downtown Los Angeles, and the Church of the Angels in Pasadena. The film's production ran from October 17, 1984 to January 16, 1985, and most of the exterior spots can still be visited or identified on a modern location tour.
What remains today
For location hunters, the strongest surviving anchors are the Old L.A. Zoo set area in Griffith Park, which stood in for Zed's hideout, and Fire Station 23, whose rear entrance was used for the 16th Precinct exterior. The wedding sequence location, Church of the Angels in Pasadena, is also still standing and remains one of the easiest sites to match with the film frame-by-frame.
Unlike many studio-bound comedies of the era, this sequel used a compact set of real-world exteriors that are still geographically traceable today. Modern location databases consistently place the production in Los Angeles, with Pasadena used for the church scene, and they align on the same core locations even when the listings differ in detail.
Verified filming sites
The film's most cited locations are listed below, with what each site was used for in the movie. These are the places most fans look for first when they search for Police Academy 2 locations today.
| Location | City | On-screen use | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Street Tunnel, Bunker Hill | Los Angeles | Exterior city footage | Still accessible as a public street location |
| Old L.A. Zoo, Griffith Park | Los Angeles | Zed's hideout | Preserved park area and popular filming site |
| Fire Station 23, 225 E. 5th Street | Los Angeles | Rear entrance for the 16th Precinct exterior | Standing historic firehouse |
| Church of the Angels, 1100 Avenue 64 | Pasadena | Tackleberry's wedding church | Active church and visitable landmark |
How to visit them
- Start at Griffith Park and walk the Old L.A. Zoo grounds, because that is the most distinctive surviving set piece from the movie.
- Continue to downtown Los Angeles and compare the firehouse exterior at Fire Station 23 with the precinct scenes.
- Finish in Pasadena at Church of the Angels, which is the clearest match for the wedding sequence.
- If you want a wider tour, add the Third Street Tunnel and nearby Bunker Hill streets to your route for urban establishing shots.
Why these locations matter
The film's location work gives it a more grounded street-level feel than a fully studio-produced comedy, which is one reason fans still seek out the places decades later. The mix of Griffith Park, downtown Los Angeles, and Pasadena creates a compact filming map that can be covered in a single day if traffic cooperates.
That compact footprint is also why the movie is unusually friendly to present-day tracing: most of the important scenes were shot in a handful of identifiable public or institutional landmarks rather than obscure private lots. For a location article, that makes the surviving sites unusually strong evidence points, not just fan guesses.
Location details
The film's production window places it squarely in late 1984 and early 1985, which is useful context when comparing archival stills with current street views. In practical terms, the best-matching locations have remained recognizable because the buildings themselves were either preserved or adapted without erasing their exterior architecture.
One practical note for visitors is that the Old L.A. Zoo area is not a recreated movie set but a real park site that has been used repeatedly by filmmakers. That means the viewing experience is less about a preserved "Police Academy 2 museum" and more about matching terrain, facades, and angles from the film.
"The production used real Los Angeles landmarks, which is why the film's trail is still easy to follow today."
Fast facts
- Release year: 1985.
- Main filming region: Los Angeles County, California.
- Additional city used: Pasadena, California.
- Best-known surviving site: Old L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park.
- Best church location: Church of the Angels.
- Most traceable precinct exterior: Fire Station 23.
FAQ
Planning a route
A practical fan route starts in Griffith Park, moves to downtown Los Angeles for Fire Station 23 and the tunnel area, and ends in Pasadena at Church of the Angels. That sequence keeps driving efficient while covering the core sites most closely associated with the movie's standout scenes.
If you are only choosing one stop, make it the Old L.A. Zoo because it best combines recognizability, accessibility, and enduring cinematic value. For a broader day trip, pairing it with Pasadena produces the most satisfying overview of the film's surviving location trail.
Everything you need to know about Police Academy 2 Filming Spots Today What Changed
Where was Police Academy 2 filmed?
Police Academy 2 was filmed mainly in Los Angeles, California, with additional scenes in Pasadena. The most repeatedly identified locations are Griffith Park's Old L.A. Zoo, Fire Station 23, Third Street Tunnel, and Church of the Angels.
Can you still visit the filming locations today?
Yes, several of the key locations are still visitable because they are public or active landmarks. The Old L.A. Zoo, Fire Station 23 exterior, and Church of the Angels are the easiest places to recognize from the film today.
Was Police Academy 2 filmed in Toronto?
No, the sequel was not primarily filmed in Toronto. Toronto is associated with other films in the franchise, but the 1985 sequel is identified by location references as a Los Angeles and Pasadena production.
What is the most iconic location from the movie?
The Old L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park is the most iconic surviving location because it is tied directly to Zed's hideout and remains visually distinctive. It is also the spot most likely to be sought out by fans comparing current views with movie stills.
How long did filming take?
Available location records place filming between October 17, 1984 and January 16, 1985. That roughly three-month production window helps explain why the movie's location list is concentrated and relatively easy to map today.