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Residents urge more medication disposal sites; student asks city to press LASD on ICE oversight
Summary
Public commenters at La Mirada— s Feb. 24 meeting urged action on two fronts: expanded safe medication disposal and clearer sheriff oversight of ICE operations after a student-organized walkout highlighted community safety concerns.
During public comment at the Feb. 24 La Mirada City Council meeting, residents and students pressed the city on public-health and public-safety concerns.
Kiara, who identified herself as representing Helpline Youth Counseling, said her coalition has visited three pharmacies in La Mirada but found only one permanent medication disposal location in the city. She encouraged the city to partner with local pharmacies and county coalitions, participate in the DEA— s national Take Back Day (04/25/2026), and use La Mirada-sponsored events to expand safe medication-storage and disposal education. “Our goal is to help families reduce the risk of medication misuse at home through safe storage, safe disposal, and discouraging the sharing of prescription medications,” Kiara said.
Maria Helena V—quez, a La Mirada High School student, described a family loss to a scam that depleted her college fund and said she hopes to bring senior fraud-prevention workshops to La Mirada.
Brooke Godwin, a 16-year-old who organized a Feb. 13 student walkout, told the council she organized the protest to exercise constitutional rights and to raise concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She said La Mirada contracts policing to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and urged the council to ask the sheriff— s office to adopt a firmer stance when ICE operates locally, including steps to verify ICE identification and prioritize de-escalation. “When mass individuals in unmarked cars detain someone, how are residents supposed to know the difference between a federal operation and a criminal act?” Brooke asked.
The mayor interrupted Brooke to note her time had elapsed; there was no recorded council action at the meeting directing staff to open new medication-disposal sites or to issue an oversight directive to the sheriff— s office. Speakers asked the city to work with pharmacies, county coalitions and the Los Angeles County Sheriff— s Department on these topics; staff follow-up was not recorded on the floor at this meeting.
