Farmington public safety chief says department will not conduct mass deportations, agrees to publish local ICE policy

Farmington Public Safety Chief O'Hanneson told the City Council on Feb. 17 that the department does not conduct "mass deportation operations" and will assist residents while cooperating with federal, state and county law enforcement as required.

The chief, speaking during a presentation on the department's interactions with outside agencies, said Farmington relies on mutual-aid partners for complex investigations and lacks the resources to handle some incidents alone. "These agencies did not take over our investigations," he said, adding that outside agencies "simply provided us resources, equipment, and the staff that we don't have to assist our officers in bringing these suspects to justice." He emphasized that federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ICE already have authority to operate in the city and that local officers cannot prevent them from doing so.

Councilmember Taylor said the clarification matters for residents' trust and public safety. "This clarity matters because every person in this city deserves to feel safe calling the police, reporting a crime, asking for help regardless of their immigration status or skin color or national origin," she said, and asked that the departments ICE policy be published at farmgov.com so residents can see it directly.

The chief agreed to post the department's statement and work with staff to disseminate it. He also told the council the city has not entered any 287(g) agreements that would deputize local officers for immigration enforcement and that doing so would require council approval.

Members of the public at the second comment period echoed concerns about schools and community safety, urging the city to share clear, community-wide guidance rather than rely solely on one-on-one follow-up. The council discussed options for public outreach, including posting the chief's recorded remarks online.

The presentation and the follow-up questions were informational; no ordinance or formal agreement was proposed or adopted during the meeting. The chief said the department will document interactions with outside agencies, use body-worn cameras to record encounters when appropriate, and prioritize de-escalation and assistance for residents.