Fullerton police chief denies helping federal agents

Fullerton PD did not aid ICE in immigration raid, chief says

Community members have challenged this narrative, citing video evidence of officers opening private gates for federal agents and the department's failure to lock down the adjacent Woodcrest Elementary School.

FULLERTON, Calif. - Fullerton’s police leadership is attempting to calm public outcry after local officers were filmed appearing to facilitate a recent federal immigration operation.

Chief Jon Radus maintains that the department’s involvement was strictly a matter of public safety triggered by a resident's emergency call.

What we know:

On January 22, Fullerton Police (FPD) responded to a 911 call reporting a man with a handgun jumping fences near Woodcrest Elementary. 

Chief Radus released a transcript of the call to prove the response was initiated by a resident, not a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

He stated that FPD officers set up a perimeter to protect the neighborhood while federal agents—who were already on scene pursuing a vehicle—conducted their search.

Radus specifically denied rumors that officers opened or cut gates for ICE, asserting that federal agents cut the locks themselves. He also explained the lack of a school lockdown by noting that federal agents had largely cleared the area by 7:45 a.m., roughly 30 minutes before the start of the school day.

What we don't know:

The condition of the "armed suspect" is unknown.

While the FPD reported that federal agents discontinued their search and left the area within an hour, it is unclear if any weapon was recovered or if the individual was ever taken into custody.

What they're saying:

"This was no longer simply an immigration enforcement matter," Chief Radus said in his video address. "A report of an armed individual running through an apartment complex is a public safety issue... Immigration status was irrelevant."

Local parents and advocacy groups remain skeptical.

What's next:

The incident has become a focal point for Southern California's "ICE Out" movement. 

Protesters who gathered in downtown Los Angeles and Fullerton over the weekend are demanding an independent investigation into whether the FPD violated California’s sanctuary laws (SB 54). 

Local activists have promised to bring these concerns to the next Fullerton City Council meeting.

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