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Police: ICE arrested man after release from Culver City jail; department says it did not coordinate with federal agents
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Summary
Chief Jason Sims reported that an individual arrested for DUI in March was released on citation and then taken into federal custody by visibly identifiable agents outside the police station; the department said it does not honor immigration detainers and was not aware of or coordinating with ICE agents prior to the capture.
Culver City Police Chief Jason Sims told the City Council on April 13 that officers arrested a man in March after a suspected DUI and that later federal immigration agents took the individual into custody after he had been released from the Culver City jail.
"At no point did the Culver City Police Department notify, coordinate with, or assist federal immigration authorities in this matter," Sims said, describing the department's booking, fingerprinting and release process and noting that fingerprint data are transmitted to regional and federal systems, including LACRIS and the FBI, which in turn can trigger automated notifications to immigration authorities.
Sims said the arrested person, identified in the presentation as Mr. Gomez, recorded a breath-alcohol result of about 0.23 percent and was found to possess narcotics and an illegal weapon. He said the department followed California law and its own policies regarding release on citation for qualifying misdemeanor arrests, and that the Culver City Police Department does not honor immigration detainers.
Council members asked for clarifications about what information is transmitted automatically by booking systems and what the police are required to confirm when contacted. "The state law requires that we release that information," Sims replied, explaining that when outside agencies call the jail to ask whether someone is in custody, the department must confirm limited, publicly available information about the arrest.
Sims described an unmarked vehicle parked on a nearby street hours before the subject's release and said federal agents were present outside the department when the individual walked free. "The arrest was witnessed by community members and members of the police department," he said, and later clarified that the department had no prior knowledge of federal agents waiting outside.
Multiple council members thanked the chief for the prompt notification to the council and for the department’s public report. Several asked whether automated notifications and public county websites make it easier for outside agencies to learn of impending releases; Sims confirmed booking data are publicly accessible on the Los Angeles County website and that LACRIS automatically provides notice to federal agencies when an arrestee is flagged in the system.
The chief also addressed questions about automated-plate-reader usage in the incident, saying no ALPR searches were conducted that yielded relevant information, and that the vehicle involved was registered to a different person.
Council members requested continued transparency and links to the department’s written policies; the chief directed residents to culvercitypd.gov for the department’s public materials and the press release issued the day of the arrest.
