By Eric Leonard
New guidelines direct LAPD officers dispatched to reports of federal immigration enforcement incidents to keep the peace, try to verify the identities of people making arrests, and document the events on body-worn video if those claiming to be federal agents refuse to cooperate. The instructions were issued in recent days following numerous citizen reports of 鈥渁ttempted kidnappings,鈥 when federal agents, who are often wearing face coverings, dressed in street clothes and driving unmarked vehicles, attempt to detain people on the street or in businesses. 鈥淚n some cases, agents have reportedly refused to identify themselves, resulting in confusion, calls for service, and tensions between the public and law enforcement,鈥 the notice to officers said, according to law enforcement contacts. The new directive said officers should only take actions to safeguard lives and property, and remain separated from immigration actions. It said officers should try to de-escalate tensions at scenes, provide clear information to any community members present and take crime reports for kidnapping or false imprisonment if agents 鈥渉ave failed to identify themselves after a verification attempt.鈥 The instructions said field supervisors should be sent to the scenes, command staff should be notified and a report should be made to the Department鈥檚 immigration point-person. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e unprecedented circumstances that they鈥檙e facing out there,鈥 LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told the Board of Police Commissioners last week in response to questions about the people officers had encountered making immigration arrests. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of conversation around with a lot of concern for 鈥榖lue on blue鈥 interactions, a lot of concern about community perceptions that the people who are out there, are not who they purport to be,鈥 McDonnell said. 鈥淚f somebody is unsure that the people they鈥檙e dealing with are actually agents of the federal government, call 911,鈥 he said. It was not clear how many of these calls the LAPD has received since federal law enforcement agencies began more aggressive immigration enforcement in Southern California. On June 10, some members of the City Council urged the LAPD chief to try to further distance the police department from federal immigration actions, saying the response of officers to arrest scenes — even for crowd control — suggested the Department was helping federal agents. 鈥淭hose people aren鈥檛 our partners,鈥 said Council president Marqueece Harris-Dawson. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just not, I don鈥檛 care what badges they have on, I don鈥檛 care whose orders they鈥檙e under, they are not our partners,鈥 he said. Councilwoman Imelda Padilla asked McDonnell to use the Department鈥檚 access to confidential law enforcement information to tip off communities when immigration enforcement was planned, a request McDonnell immediately refused. 鈥淵ou can warn us,鈥 Padilla said, 鈥渟o that we can warn our folks, in the spirit of your loyalty to the City of Los Angeles.鈥 鈥淪o you鈥檙e asking me to inform you about an enforcement action being taken by another agency before it happens?鈥 McDonnell asked. 鈥淵eah,鈥 Padilla nodded. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 do that,鈥 McDonnell said. 鈥淲hy not?鈥 Padilla asked. 鈥淭hat would be obstruction of justice, you may want to talk to the City Attorney about that,鈥 McDonnell answered. The LAPD has barred officers for more than a generation with directly participating in immigration enforcement arrests, and more recently any city employee from sharing information that could be used in enforcement efforts. That position was highlighted in the Trump administration鈥檚 lawsuit filed against the city Monday in response to its 鈥榮anctuary city鈥 policies, alleging the City rules for police and other workers amounts to obstruction of federal law.