The University of California, Los Angeles has received recommendations from an outside review conducted by 21st Century Policing Solutions, urging the institution to establish clear plans, policies, communication channels, and decision-making authority in anticipation of major protests. This advice comes in the aftermath of the significant student demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas conflict that rocked the UCLA campus earlier this year.
The report highlighted the chaotic response witnessed in late April and early May, attributing it to the university's lack of preparedness and critical communication breakdowns. The review was commissioned by the University of California following the controversial handling of the protests at UCLA.
The protests resulted in clashes between demonstrators and counterprotesters, leading to over a dozen injuries and the arrest of more than 200 individuals during a subsequent demonstration where hundreds refused to disperse as instructed.
Law enforcement resorted to using flash-bangs to disperse the crowds and dismantled barricades made of plywood, pallets, metal fences, and dumpsters, while also removing canopies and tents from a fortified encampment.
The report pointed out instances where UCLA administrators excluded campus police from crucial meetings and information sharing during the events. Additionally, campus police lacked established plans for collaborating with external law enforcement agencies, leaving the Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol to devise impromptu strategies without insights from officers familiar with the campus.
Addressing the broader issue of how law enforcement should ensure public safety, the report emphasized the need for UCLA to engage in a dialogue with its community. It criticized the university for excluding police from pre-protest planning and engagement, only to call upon law enforcement once tensions escalated into violence.
In response, UCLA affirmed its commitment to campus safety and pledged to implement the recommendations provided by the review. Some of these recommendations are already in progress as the university aims to enhance its preparedness and response protocols for future protests.
