LA police chief: ‘Ready to meet whatever challenges we may face'
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told USA TODAY his department will be 'well prepared' should any civil unrest occur during the third day of protests across the city.
'We certainly have a heavier deployment than usual,' McDonnell said June 8, declining to give a specific number.
The chief said officers will be deployed outside a federal court building, the Metropolitan Detention Center, City Hall, and some parks where protests and demonstrations against deportation raids are scheduled to take place.
'You never know what's going to happen,' McDonnell said. 'We're more heavily deployed to meet whatever challenges we may face.'
The chief's comments come as approximately 300 National Guard members arrived in Los Angeles after President Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 officers, a move that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass have sharply criticized as inflammatory and unnecessary. Bass added that the presence of the National Guard could cause a 'chaotic escalation.'
McDonnell said the LAPD is still figuring out what role the National Guard will play during any protests.
'It's still to be determined,' McDonnell said. 'Some of them just got on the ground, and we're trying to figure out how we can make this all work for everybody. For the city, the county and beyond. Our whole focus is on public safety.'
McDonnell said the LAPD has worked very closely with the National Guard for months due to the deadly Palisades fires, adding, 'We have a great working relationship' with them.
'We're both here for the same reason, and that's ultimately to keep everybody safe,' McDonnell said.
The determination of which agency will take the lead in handling any unruliness at protests and demonstrations, depends on when and where the unrest occurs, McDonnell said. The chief said there are 44 other law enforcement agencies in L.A. County that assist each other under a mutual aid agreement.
'It depends on where they are and what the circumstances are,' McDonnell said. 'We're responsible for the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is responsible for the county. We work together all the time.'
McDonnell said the LAPD will not take part in any immigration enforcement action as prohibited by law under the California Values Act, often referred to as a 'sanctuary law.' But the department will have a presence to quell any civil unrest as protesters exercise their First Amendment rights, the chief said.
'We adapt to the circumstances as they are presented to us,' McDonnell said. 'We're putting ourselves out there on the line every day, and I'm proud of our people and the job that they do on behalf of the community.'
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LAPD police chief: 'Ready to meet whatever challenges we may face'
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