Citing multiple shortcomings, failures and breakdowns in UCLA’s response to a pro-Palestinian encampment and a violent attack by counter-protesters, an independent auditor issued a series of recommendations Thursday aimed at ensuring a smoother response if future political disruptions occur.
The audit was ordered by University of California President Michael Drake in May following several days of unrest on the Westwood campus, beginning when counter-protesters attacked the encampment with fireworks and pepper spray and culminating in a massive law enforcement raid to dismantle the camp, resulting in more than 200 arrests.
Conducted by 21st Century Policing Solutions, the audit cited “shortcomings, performance failures, systems breakdowns and campus safety issues that emerged from the campus events of April and May 2024.”
“These recommendations are designed to ensure that UCLA’s response to acts of civil disobedience aligns with its commitments to freedom of expression and the protection of the health, safety, and well-being of the UCLA community,” according to the report. “In addition to resulting in a more effective response to acts of civil disobedience, implementation of these recommendations will support a more effective response to a wide range of low-frequency, high-impact emergencies events on campus, including potential natural disasters or acts of mass violence.
“Finally, implementing these measures will better enable UCLA to deliver a range of public safety services in a manner that is effective, that aligns with changing conceptions of the meaning of public safety, and that reflects the UCLA community’s values and priorities.”
The list of recommendations included development and training on campus safety plans for all personnel, establishment of concrete decision-making plans during campus emergencies, better definition of the roles of campus leaders during such events, and more formalized mutual aid agreements with other law enforcement agencies.
Auditors noted that UCLA leaders have already begun work to implement many of the immediate short-term recommendations. But the report notes that “in the long term, UCLA will need to address the possibility of making fundamental, structural changes to its public safety ecosystem.”
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In May, UCLA announced the creation of the Office of Campus Safety in response to the seeming confusion in the law enforcement response to the violence that erupted during the overnight attack on the encampment, which many observers said was allowed to continue for hours before any effort was made by police to quell the attack.
The university later announced upgraded “time, place and manner” policies to govern campus protests and free speech.
University of California President Michael Drake (AP file photo/Susan Walsh)
“Last spring, as conflict spread at universities across the country, we saw the limits of our traditional approach,” Drake said in a statement Thursday following the release of the audit recommendations. “We are taking a close, detailed look at where we fell short and how we can do better moving forward. This comprehensive review and these recommendations will help ensure that we have actionable plans and policies in place to prevent similar events from happening again.”