LAPD union leader warns against mayoral candidate Nithya Raman's stances on public drug use, police staffing

mayoral candidate Nithya Raman faced tough questions Sunday over public drug use and police staffing, prompting the city's police union to accuse her of contradicting her previous voting record as she campaigns to unseat Mayor Karen Bass.

During an appearance with host Graham Stephan on "The Iced Coffee Hour" podcast, Raman suggested certain calls involving people experiencing homelessness could be handled without armed police officers, arguing that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) would be unable to intervene if no crime was taking place.

"Like the issue that you had with a person who is on your sidewalk, who is clearly homeless, who is maybe not someone you feel comfortable talking to," she said. "LAPD would come out to that situation and not be able to do anything, right? If they're not — if there's not a crime happening there. If they're not a threat to themselves."

Stephan challenged her characterization, emphasizing that the individuals he described were openly using illegal drugs. "Well, there is a crime. They're doing drugs," he said.

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The exchange prompted a response from Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) Vice President Chris Wecker, who questioned Raman's commitment to maintaining police staffing in a statement to Fox News Digital. Wecker pointed to her opposition earlier this year to a proposal intended to offset officer retirements.

"No, there are not enough police officers now to keep residents and officers safe," he said. "What has Angelenos scratching their heads is the stark contrast between what Candidate Raman is saying today and what Councilmember Raman voted on earlier this year. This year she voted against hiring 170 officers to replace those who were retiring. This wouldn't have increased the number of officers; it simply would have kept the number of officers the same."

"So, who do Angelenos believe: Candidate Raman or Councilmember Raman?"

Raman's opposition is documented in her voting record. She was one of four council members who voted against a January proposal authorizing funding for 130 recruits — the final portion of a 170-recruit hiring plan that began in December and brought total expected recruits for the fiscal year to about 410, Fox 11 reported. The measure passed 9-4.

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Stephan described residents encountering people using drugs in alleys and near homes, including complaints that officers were slow to respond. Raman advocated expanding unarmed crisis response programs to handle certain calls.

Wecker rejected the idea that public drug use should be among the situations handled by unarmed responders, warning that the encounters could become dangerous.

"We support unarmed responses to some calls for service. Public drug use is not one of those calls," he told Fox News Digital. "These are some of the most dangerous and unpredictable calls to which officers must respond. We can't imagine a methamphetamine or cocaine user paying any attention to a clinician, and we believe the responding cl