Two masked men dragged a landscape worker into a vehicle and drove off.
Another masked pair in green fatigues detained a man walking out of a grocery store.
Four masked people in a black SUV circled a block.
These were all calls LAPD received in January from people alarmed by what they were witnessing and unsure about who they could trust as immigration agents carried out operations across the city.
They were also among the first details that the department has released of how its officers have responded to calls for help from neighborhoods targeted by the federal government’s immigration crackdown.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a directive last month requiring the department to produce monthly reports, aiming to increase transparency about policing amid immigration sweeps. The report follows weeks of mixed messaging from the department, as LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell refused to enforce new laws requiring federal agents to remove masks and identify themselves.
Bass’ order prompted McDonnell to change course last week — a reversal he continued in Tuesday’s meeting. He sent a note to the department establishing a new policy requiring officers and supervisors to identify federal agents, document encounters with them and refer cases for possible criminal charges if misconduct is suspected.
Deputy Chief German Hurtado told the Police Commission Tuesday the department received eight calls in January from the public about immigration operations and none in February. The LA Local has reached out to ask why this is the case and will update if more information is available.
Three of the January calls were in the department’s Northeast Division and two in Rampart Division. Harbor, Southeast and Olympic divisions had one call each.
Officers submitted two crime reports of actions by federal agents, but Hurtado provided no further details.
In several cases, the people who called the police and the alleged federal agents weren’t actually there when officers arrived. And in most cases, the department took no further action after confirming the individuals worked for federal immigration agencies.
In one instance, Hurtado said police received information that two taco vendors had been kidnapped. “No report was taken,” Hurtado said, because video of the confrontation appeared to show the masked men were federal agents. The two were detained, he said, not kidnapped.
A man in the department’s Southeast Division reported being assaulted by immigration agents. Hurtado said officers found he had been knocked over while agents were chasing someone else: “They cleared the scene once they realized that it was a federal enforcement action,” Hurtado added.
The department had not received any reports of federal agents refusing to identify themselves to police officers, he told the commissioners. And he emphasized that the department’s longstanding policy is not to assist or impede immigration enforcement.
“The officers are not going to interrupt the actions of another law enforcement agency,” Hurtado said. “They’re there to keep the peace.”
Commission President Teresa Sanchez-Gordon pressed Hurtado to provide more details on how the department is clarifying its role for the city’s residents who are also immigrants.
“They’re still fearful that they can’t call LAPD for help,” Sanchez-Gordon said.
Hurtado responded that the department’s new immigrant affairs liaison, along with at least two officers at each station, were redoubling efforts to communicate that the LAPD does not contribute to immigration enforcement.
“When police do not help with immigration arrests, it’s not about protecting criminals,” Hurtado said. “It’s about protecting communities. It’s about making sure that everyone feels safe enough to seek help for a crime and participate in everyday civic life. Public safety works best when fear is replaced with trust and in Los Angeles that trust has saved lives.”
McDonnell, who was present for the presentation, also issued a new policy on Tuesday clarifying how city policing intersects with federal immigration enforcement. Here are some of the requirements:
- When officers are dispatched to calls about apparent immigration sweeps, they are expected to turn on body cameras before exiting their patrol cars.
- They’ll record interactions with the apparent agents, verifying their identities and the agencies they work for.
- If it’s a confirmed federal immigration enforcement action, the officer is expected to maintain public safety and help deescalate any tense confrontations.
- Officers will write reports about these encounters and label all body camera footage for review.
The chief’s policy update brings the department into compliance with Mayor Karen Bass’ executive order from February requiring the changes.
Apart from the new policy, Sanchez-Gordon said more must be done to ensure the community understands what LAPD officers are and aren’t responsible for during what have often been tense confrontations. She said she wants to work with McDonnell to host meetings with immigrant advocacy groups to better understand community concerns.
“I think we all have our work cut out for us,” she said. “It’s a new era for the city of LA.”