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Residents press Cerritos council to toughen catalytic-converter laws; sheriff urges public to call Community Safety Center for ICE concerns
Summary
Public commenters asked the council to adopt an ordinance criminalizing possession of stolen catalytic converters (to close a perceived AB 641 loophole) and to increase transparency for federal immigration enforcement. Council asked staff to review a draft ordinance and compare it with nearby cities’ ordinances; the Community Safety Center phone number was provided for residents with ICE-related concerns.
During the public-comment period on June 26, Cerritos residents urged the City Council to pursue local action on two public-safety topics.
Darryl Terrell urged the council to adopt a local ordinance criminalizing unlawful possession of stolen catalytic converters so deputies would have enforcement tools even for a single stolen converter; he cited county and neighboring-city examples where similar ordinances give deputies more authority than the current state threshold (the transcript references state law as "AB 641"). After the comment period the council asked the city manager and Public Safety Manager Daryl Evans to review Terrell’s ordinance draft and compare it to the City of Artesia’s ordinance; council indicated consensus to have staff return with a comparison and recommendations.
On federal enforcement activity, Gabriel Abood reported sightings of people in tactical gear near Cerritos College and questioned how residents should respond. LA County Sheriff representatives (Captain Drew Strong) clarified that local deputies do not conduct ICE enforcement operations and generally only assist if requested; Captain Strong and Public Safety Manager Daryl Evans advised residents to request identification and to call the Community Safety Center at (562) 916-1266 or 911 if they require immediate assistance; deputies will confirm marked-unit locations via dispatch.
Council direction: staff will review Terrell’s proposed ordinance and provide a comparative analysis with Artesia’s model and return with recommended next steps. The Community Safety office contact was provided to residents for immediate questions and responses.
