LA Mayor Karen Bass Orders Body Cams On, Union Says They Already Are

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive directive Tuesday requiring city police officers to activate their body cameras when responding to federal immigration enforcement operations. But the union representing rank-and-file officers says that policy is already in place, as reported by The New York Post.

The directive instructs officers with the Los Angeles Police Department to turn on body-worn cameras at the scene of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and preserve the footage.

It also requires officers to confirm the supervising ICE officer’s name and badge number. In addition, the order bars federal immigration authorities from using city property to stage enforcement actions.

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However, the Los Angeles Police Protective League said officers already comply with those standards under existing department policy.

In a public statement, the union responded directly to the mayor’s announcement.

“As it pertains to police officers, the Mayor’s Directive serves an important purpose in that it informs the public of the high standards the LAPD already adheres to and currently implements when it comes to activating body worn cameras, rendering aid, deploying de-escalation tactics in volatile situations, preserving evidence of a potential crime and assisting the public report suspected criminal activity,” the union said.

“These standards are ingrained in every officer, and the public being made aware of these current standards is a positive development.”

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The league represents roughly 8,700 sworn officers within the department.

Bass’s office did not respond to requests for comment regarding whether there had been documented instances of LAPD officers switching off their cameras during immigration-related incidents.

The mayor made the announcement during a Tuesday press conference, where she also addressed ongoing immigration enforcement actions in the city.

“Immigration raids across LA have not stopped, and neither has our resolve to protect Angelenos from ICE’s campaign of terror,” Bass said.

The directive comes amid heightened tensions in Los Angeles over federal immigration operations. While the LAPD does not enforce federal immigration law, officers may respond to calls for service in areas where ICE activity is underway.

Under department policy, officers are generally required to activate body cameras during enforcement encounters and preserve recorded footage.

The union’s statement emphasized that those standards are already part of routine procedure and training.

The executive order also prohibits ICE from using city property to stage operations, though it remains unclear how that provision will be implemented or enforced in practice.

City officials have not provided additional details on whether any policy changes within the LAPD will accompany the directive beyond public notification of existing procedures.

The situation highlights ongoing friction between city leadership and federal immigration authorities operating within Los Angeles. Further clarification from City Hall or the police department may follow as the directive is implemented.

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