Fullerton police chief denies claims his officers helped immigration agents

Fullerton Police Department Chief Jon Radus denied claims that his officers helped federal agents during a recent immigration operation in the city.

"Since that time, a significant amount of information and misinformation has circulated on social media and through local media outlets," Radus said in a video posted to social media. "I want to take a few minutes to share some facts and address some of the rumors and misunderstandings surrounding this incident."

The "targeted enforcement operation" happened on Jan. 22 when immigration agents chased a man through the southern part of the city in the 1500 block of Highland Avenue, according to Radus. At around 6:40 a.m., the Fullerton Police Department received a 911 call from a woman who said a man ran through the Highland Pinetree Apartment complex following what she believed was a police pursuit.

"The suspect just jumped the fence and is just hiding in our complex, and he has a gun," the woman said in the 911 call. 

Radus said his department sent officers once it determined that no local agencies were involved in a pursuit that ended in the area. When they arrived, they encountered the federal agents, but did not help in the search for the suspect. They did, however, set up a perimeter around the complex while the agents searched for the suspect, according to Radus. 

"At that point, this was no longer an immigration enforcement matter," Radus said. "A report of an armed individual running through an apartment complex is a public safety issue."

In body camera footage released by Fullerton PD, an officer tells federal agents that:

"We're happy to help you in terms of this scene here. Obviously, now it concerns us, because we got a guy running around with a gun."

Elijah Manassero, who runs a social media page called Fullerton Transparency, said the chief's comments don't clear up his main concern.

"The police should be the ones who should be looking for someone with a gun, and ICE needs to back off," Manassero said. "Because this is our community and these cops are from Fullerton and they are accountable to us and ICE is not."

Fullerton PD is not the first Southern California police department to be accused of helping federal immigration agents. On Jan. 22, an angry crowd shouted at Bell city leaders and the police chief after people accused officers of helping federal agents. Four days later, the Alhambra City Council was criticized after officers pulled a woman over after she was following federal agents around. 

Radus reiterated that Fullerton police adhere to state law and do not help with immigration enforcement.

"I can assure you, the men and women of the Fullerton Police Department are doing everything they can to balance and maintain the trust of our community while fulfilling our responsibility to keep everyone safe," Radus said. 

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to CBS LA for comment.