The Los Angeles Police Department has ended a temporary arrangement in which officers from its Metropolitan Division provided security for former vice president Kamala Harris after backlash from the department’s police union, according to reports.
LAPD officers stepped in to protect Harris after President Donald Trump revoked her Secret Service detail on Aug. 29. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file officers, criticized the use of an elite unit for what it called an improvised assignment, saying "LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness." The union’s board added, "We are happy to report that the Metro officers assigned to protect the multimillionaire failed presidential candidate are back on the street fighting crime." Mayor Karen Bass said the deployment was always intended to be temporary and thanked the LAPD for prioritizing public safety.
The move capped several weeks of shifting security arrangements for Harris after the White House confirmed Mr. Trump had pulled her Secret Service detail. Typically, vice presidents receive Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office; a memo signed by former President Joe Biden before leaving office extended Harris’ protection by an additional year, U.S. officials told media outlets. A spokesperson for Harris said no reason was provided for the elimination of the Secret Service detail.
The Los Angeles Times and other outlets reported that the California Highway Patrol was also providing security for Harris, a decision that requires the approval of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom’s office declined to discuss security arrangements. "Our office does not comment on security arrangements," spokesperson Izzy Gardon told reporters.
The LAPD did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment. Mayor Bass called Mr. Trump’s decision to revoke the Secret Service protection an "act of revenge" against a political opponent and said it put Harris "in danger," remarks that drew attention from local and national officials.
The shifting security provisions for Harris occurred amid broader changes to Secret Service assignments since the end of the previous administration. The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, had his Secret Service detail rescinded in July. The Secret Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Current Secret Service rules provide lifetime protection for former presidents and their spouses unless they voluntarily opt out, while protections for other senior officials vary by statute and executive action. Officials have said that temporary local-law-enforcement support can be used while other arrangements are developed or approved, but unions and city officials in Los Angeles clashed over the use of an elite Metropolitan Division unit for a long-term protective mission.
City and state officials will determine next steps for Harris’ security now that the LAPD has withdrawn Metropolitan Division officers from the assignment. The matter reflects the complexities that can arise when federal protections are altered and local agencies are asked to provide interim support. News organizations reported the changes as officials and agencies declined to provide additional details about protective protocols or timelines for any new arrangements.