Fullerton police say they held perimeter during Jan. 22 federal immigration operation; residents demand more school notification and a legal defense fund

Fullerton’s police chief told the City Council on Feb. 3 that Fullerton Police Department officers responded to a resident’s report of an armed person on Jan. 22 and established perimeter positions while federal agents carried out a targeted enforcement operation.

Chief John Radis said the department’s role was limited to holding perimeters while federal agencies searched for a suspect and that Fullerton PD “does not engage in immigration enforcement.” He said officers arrived within minutes after a resident reported someone running through an apartment complex armed with what the caller believed to be a handgun and that, after federal agencies had sufficient resources to continue safely, Fullerton officers disengaged.

Radis told the council his department had not opened gates or joined federal search teams and that the department’s written policies prohibit officers from asking about immigration status. He said the department had not been notified in advance by federal agencies in recent months and that supervisors will document and refine notification procedures for schools and the district going forward.

The presentation prompted extensive public comment. “Early that morning, about a dozen armed ICE agents illegally entered our complex by cutting the chain to the emergency gate,” said resident Emmy Arnold, who said officers and federal agents were visible near Highland Pine Tree Apartments during the morning drop‑off window for nearby Woodcrest Elementary. “Our complex was not aware of this intrusion until after it occurred.”

Vanessa Estrella, a Fullerton Elementary School District trustee, said parents and students were already on campus during the operation and that teachers and staff were left to “pick up the emotional pieces.” She asked the council to ensure that, when there is an armed person near a campus, the district and school site receive timely, clear information so principals can implement lockdown or shelter‑in‑place protocols.

Several parents and community organizations asked the council to release unredacted body‑worn camera footage where legally possible and to create or revive a municipal legal defense/mutual‑aid fund to help families affected by enforcement activity. “Families are requesting transportation assistance because they’re afraid to leave their homes,” Estrella said.

Council members pressed the chief on notification protocols. Radis said supervisors had been unaware that Woodcrest runs early‑care programs starting before the official 8:15 a.m. start time and that the department’s supervisors will be required to notify districts about incidents with any nexus to a school perimeter. He also said the department had already begun debriefs with the Fullerton School District.

The council did not take a policy vote at the meeting, but several members requested staff to return with options used by other Orange County cities, a timeline for the department’s notification guide and a report back on how schools will be alerted in future incidents. Several speakers urged the council to place funding for an immigrant legal defense fund on a future agenda.