LAPD Chief Responds to Mayoral Candidate's Criticism of Police Handling of ICE Raids

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell has sharply refuted criticisms from mayoral candidate Nithya Raman regarding the police department's handling of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and subsequent protests in Los Angeles last year. McDonnell stated that he was present during the unrest on June 6, 2025, a day when he said 52 officers were assaulted by protesters unleashing chaos on the city.

McDonnell's remarks come after reports indicated Raman was seen at a restaurant in Silver Lake while riots erupted in downtown Los Angeles. Raman has publicly called for McDonnell's termination and has described him and the LAPD as "fascist liars."

"I was out there," McDonnell told the California Post, directly addressing Raman's activities during the unrest. "I don’t know that people who are criticizing us were anywhere near there." He expressed disappointment with the rhetoric, stating, "In the second-largest city in America, we expect more than that."

During the protests, McDonnell described officers facing "commercial-grade fireworks, which can kill you. Those can be lethal." He also detailed instances of Molotov cocktails, ATVs driven into police lines, and projectiles such as rocks, pieces of curb, bolts, batteries, and frozen water bottles being hurled at officers. He asserted that tear gas was deployed to prevent confrontations from escalating to a point where deadly force would be necessary, a measure he believes "saved lives."

McDonnell emphasized the national implications of events in Los Angeles, stating, "The eyes of the world are on Los Angeles. What we do here matters."

He clarified the LAPD's policy regarding immigration enforcement, noting that the department has maintained a stance against working with ICE on immigration issues since 1979. However, he distinguished this from partnerships with other federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, ATF, and Marshals Service, as well as collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations on human trafficking.

Despite the department being "woefully understaffed" with approximately 8,500 officers, McDonnell reported that crime had decreased across all categories, and officer-involved shootings had fallen by 53% this year. He questioned the premise that falling crime rates necessitate fewer police officers, asking, "How much crime is acceptable?"

McDonnell advised aspiring city leaders to gain firsthand understanding of policing through ride-alongs and direct conversations with officers. He warned that a lack of support from city leaders and the community can negatively impact officer morale, especially when staffing levels are strained. "We go out there every day and we adapt and overcome and move on, and the results, I think, speak for themselves," he said.