Misuse of LAPD Forces for Harris’s Protection: An Act of Self-indulgence

Former Vice President, Kamala Harris, reported to be a multi-millionaire, had been enjoying the protection of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) until this past Saturday. That’s right, essential police manpower was being redirected from the critical task of suppressing crime in the city, to ensuring the safety of a woman who could easily afford private security. A critique that was both necessary and timely led to the eventual discontinuation of this arrangement.

This peculiar sequence of events unfolded after President Trump made a decision to revoke Harris’s Secret Service protection. As a result, precious resources from Californian law enforcement agencies were scrambled to provide coverage to Harris. Democratic-leaning critics might argue that Trump’s actions were a little harsh, but the more sensible among us realize the services of our officers are best utilized shielding the general public.

Many have condemned this misuse of state machinery. The police union, for instance, was vociferously critical of this resource allocation, arguing that these officers should be deployed in safeguarding ‘everyday Angelenos’. And they are completely justified in their condemnation. The working class citizens, struggling to make ends meet amidst the crime-ridden neighborhoods, were being disregarded for the sake of a high-profile political figure.

This unusual arrangement saw officers from LAPD’s Metropolitan Division, who should be tackling the rising crime rates in California, diverted to protect Harris. They were so far engaged in supporting the California Highway Patrol, until the critical voices from within the police department became louder. Apparently, even the security presence outside Harris’s Brentwood residence had become a common sight till Saturday morning.

California Highway Patrol had faced a chaotic week of attempting to ensure coverage for Harris as Trump revoked her Secret Service protection, an act sure to please his supporters. This is particularly notable as President Biden had previously extended security for Harris past the traditional six months that vice presidents are given upon leaving office – a blatant display of favouritism and misuse of state resources.

In the midst of this frenzy, Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass had the audacity to instruct LAPD to provide a security team to assist the Highway Patrol for Harris. This explicit endorsement of Harris, former Vice President, on part of such a major administrative figure, surely raised many eyebrows, and rightfully so.

The shocking reality is, that these Metro officers, who could have been actively addressing crime rates in the San Fernando Valley, had to be relocated for Harris’s protection. A very questionable decision from the authorities’ end, indeed.

Even Jennifer Forkish, LA Police Communications Director, spoke of LAPD assisting the Highway Patrol in providing protective services for Harris in wake of this unwarranted complication. She assured that this was a temporary effort to ensure there was no lapse in her security. But one might wonder, why such an effort was necessary in the first place.

The California Highway Patrol hasn’t yet commented on how this decision of the LAPD will affect their agreement to protect the former vice president. But with the LAPD no longer diverting its resources, it sure brings some relief to the under-served sections of the society.

The essential question that arises is – how long is the California Highway Patrol expected to protect Harris? Although there was talk of an ‘alternate plan’, specifics haven’t been provided to date. But it undoubtedly stirs up a major conversation about preferential treatment towards the elite political class.

In these uncertain times, one thing the Californians can take comfort in, is that the LAPD will no longer be forced to withdraw its services from the city’s streets to safeguard a multi-millionaire who was functioning in a role of a public servant. A more equitable distribution of resources now seems possible.

It’s high time that we criticized this kind of political favoritism that sacrifices the safety of the common citizen to tend to the elites. Such practices blatantly contradict the very notion of democracy, putting a spotlight on the backward priorities of these politicians.

The discontinuation of Kamala Harris’s dedicated LAPD protection is indeed an example of the triumph of public sentiment and common sense over extravagant, unnecessary resource allocation. It is a timely reminder of the real duty of the police forces – ensuring the safety of the public, rather than pandering to the elites.

While the future arrangement of Kamala Harris’s security continues to remain unclear, one certainly hopes that its consequences will not call for measures that involve diverting public resources away from crime suppression. After all, there should be no questioning when it comes to prioritizing the safety of everyday citizens over pampering the political elite.