UCLA security chief addresses protest management, heavy policing scrutinized

Oct 11

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Video Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is drawing criticism for how campus officials are handling safety issues following violent protests in 2024. Some are calling it a “militarized campus.”

In Spring 2024, protests broke out at UCLA over the Israel-Hamas war, which led to clashes between police and protesters. Officers took a down a pro-Palestinian encampment, which ended with students injured and dozens of arrests.

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Since then, UCLA officials have been trying to buckle down on campus safety by beefing up security while working to balance protesters’ First Amendment rights.

Campus concerns

The main concern from people on campus is that there are too many police and security officers, which they say has created an uncomfortable environment.

A student told the Los Angeles Times it is “complete overkill.”

A faculty member said the presence of officers ramped up tensions and increased the potential for racial profiling. Another faculty member said she was shocked to count 14 officers on a half-mile walk through campus.

Making improvements

In May 2024, the school hired Rick Braziel, a former Sacramento police chief, to be head of security. He revealed his strategy to make improvements which includes hiring outside consultants to do a deep dive of security staffing levels, revamping their protest response plan, adding more training and hiring a communications specialist.

Braziel also said he is working to strengthen relationships with other law enforcement agencies and he hopes to create a civilian safety staff that’s modeled after community policing.

While Braziel agrees that a large police presence on campus can cause issues itself, he said they must be prepared.

Recent protest

On Monday, Oct. 7, UCLA students gathered on campus to mark one year since the start of the Israel-Hama war. Braziel said he and his team deployed all campus police officers and brought in officers from other departments to be on standby. He said he kept most officers out of sight inside buildings to intervene if needed.

“If you dress for a riot, you’re going to get a riot,” Braziel told the Los Angeles Times. “The visual is super important to the response you’re going to get.”

While there were some tense moments, police determined protesters were not breaking any laws. The night ended without any arrests.

Tags: California, college students, Hamas, Israel, Police, Police officers, Police violence, Protests, students, UCLA

Lauren Taylor

U-C-L-A IS DRAWING CRITICISM FOR HOW CAMPUS OFFICIALS ARE HANDLING SAFETY ISSUES FOLLOWING VIOLENT PROTESTS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

SOME ARE CALLING IT A “MILITARIZED CAMPUS.”

IN THE SPRING.. PROTESTS BROKE OUT AT U-C-L-A OVER THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR … LEADING TO CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND PROTESTERS.

OFFICERS TOOK DOWN A PRO-PALESTINIAN ENCAMPMENT … WHICH ENDED WITH STUDENTS BEING INJURED AND DOZENS GETTING ARRESTED.

SINCE THEN, U-C-L-A OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BUCKLE DOWN ON CAMPUS SAFETY. BEEFING UP SECURITY WHILE WORKING TO BALANCE PROTESTERS’ FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

THE MAIN CONCERN FROM PEOPLE ON CAMPUS IS TOO MANY POLICE AND SECURITY OFFICERS … CREATING AN UNCOMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT.

A STUDENT TOLD THE L-A TIMES IT’S QUOTE – “COMPLETE OVERKILL.”

A FACULTY MEMBER SAID THE HEAVY PRESENCE OF OFFICERS IS RAMPING UP TENSIONS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR RACIAL PROFILING.

ANOTHER FACULTY MEMBER SAID SHE WAS SHOCKED TO COUNT 14 OFFICERS ON A HALF MILE WALK THROUGH CAMPUS.

IN MAY, THE SCHOOL HIRED RICK BRAZIEL (brazil) – A FORMER SACRAMENTO POLICE CHIEF – TO BE THE HEAD OF SECURITY.

HE REVEALED HIS STRATEGY FOR MAKING IMPROVEMENTS WHICH INCLUDES HIRING OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS TO DO A DEEP DIVE OF SECURITY STAFFING LEVELS, REVAMPING THEIR PROTEST RESPONSE PLAN, ADDING MORE TRAINING AND HIRING A COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST.

BRAZIEL ALSO SAID HE’S WORKING TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND HE HOPES TO CREATE A CIVILIAN SAFETY STAFF THAT MODELS COMMUNITY POLICING.

WHILE BRAZIEL AGREES THAT A LARGE POLICE PRESENCE ON CAMPUS CAN BE COUNTER-EFFECTIVE … HE SAYS THEY MUST BE PREPARED.

ON MONDAY, U-C-L-A STUDENTS GATHERED ON CAMPUS TO MARK ONE YEAR SINCE THE START OF THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR.

BRAZIEL SAID HE AND HIS TEAM DEPLOYED ALL CAMPUS POLICE OFFICERS AND BROUGHT IN OFFICERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO STANDBY ON CAMPUS.

HE SAID HE KEPT MOST OFFICERS OUT OF SIGHT INSIDE BUILDINGS .. CLOSE ENOUGH TO INTERVENE IF NEEDED … ADDING QUOTE – “IF YOU DRESS FOR A RIOT, YOU’RE GOING TO GET A RIOT.”

WHILE THERE WERE SOME TENSE MOMENTS… POLICE DETERMINED PROTESTERS WERE NOT BREAKING ANY LAWS AND THE NIGHT ENDED WITH NO ARRESTS OR SIGNIFICANT CONFRONTATIONS.

FOR SAN I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

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