UCLA Police Chief Temporarily Reassigned Amid Criticism Over Handling of Campus Unrest

Los Angeles, California United States of America
Over 200 arrests and temporary campus closure resulting from the melee.
UCLA creating new Office of Campus Safety to oversee security operations.
UCLA Police Chief John Thomas temporarily reassigned amid criticism over handling of campus unrest.
Violent clashes between pro-Palestinian students and counter-protesters at UCLA.
UCLA Police Chief Temporarily Reassigned Amid Criticism Over Handling of Campus Unrest

In recent weeks, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been at the center of campus unrest following violent clashes between pro-Palestinian students and counter-protesters. The latest development in this ongoing saga is the reassignment of UCLA Police Chief John Thomas.

According to reports, Thomas was temporarily removed from his duties as chief on May 22, pending an examination of security processes at the university. This decision came after intense criticism over his handling of the violent melee that took place on campus earlier in May.

The clashes began when masked counter-protesters assaulted a pro-Palestinian student encampment, leading to over 200 arrests and the temporary closure of the campus. The response from UCLA's police force was criticized for being 'limited and delayed,' with some calling it 'unacceptable.'

The university administration has since created a new Office of Campus Safety to oversee security operations, with Rick Braziel, a former Sacramento police chief, leading the effort. The move comes as UCLA Chancellor Gene Block prepares to testify before the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce about antisemitism on campus.

The violent scene at UCLA is just one of many similar incidents that have taken place at universities across the country, with students demanding that institutions cut financial ties with Israel and companies profiting from the war in Gaza. The protests have sparked intense debate over free speech, safety, and the role of law enforcement on campus.

Despite these challenges, UCLA remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of its community. As part of this effort, Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, stated that 'UCLA created a new Office of Campus Safety that is leading a thorough examination of our security processes aimed at enhancing the wellbeing and safety of our community.'

The reassignment of Chief Thomas marks a significant shift in the university's approach to campus security. It remains to be seen how this change will impact the ongoing unrest and whether it will lead to a more effective response from law enforcement in future incidents.


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any ongoing investigations or reviews into the events that led to the reassignment of John Thomas?
  • How will the new Office of Campus Safety impact UCLA's approach to security and law enforcement?
  • What specific security processes will be examined in the thorough examination of UCLA's security?

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

UCLA protests fallout: Police chief reassigned, chancellor to face congressional committee

ABC7 News (KABC-TV / ABC7 Los Angeles) Thursday, 23 May 2024 02:30
  • Unique Points
    • UCLA Chancellor Gene Block is set to testify in front of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce about antisemitism on campus.
    • Students are expressing anger and tension regarding the handling of the protests and encampments.
  • Accuracy
    • UCLA's police chief, John Thomas, has been reassigned to other duties.
    • Chief Thomas has been reassigned and will be replaced by UCLA Capt Gawin Gibson.
    • Violence broke out between counter-protesters and a pro-Palestinian encampment on UCLA’s campus on April 30, resulting in several injuries.
    • LAPD officers arrived at the scene three hours after the violence began and did not break up the confrontation until six hours later.
    • Hundreds of California Highway Patrol officers cleared the encampment, arresting over 200 people and temporarily shifting classes to remote learning.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The article reports on the reassignment of UCLA's police chief and Chancellor Gene Block being grilled by Congress about antisemitism on campus. The author does not explicitly state any bias but uses language that implies a negative view towards Republican officials for investigating antisemitism on campus, implying it as a 'despicable bit of political theater'. This is an example of ideological bias.
    • I think it is unfair to say that there was absolutely no antisemitism, But I don’t think everybody is saying these phrases ‘from the river to the sea’ or equating the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) to other hate groups is necessarily hateful. I think people have good intentions, but they don’t understand the implications of what they’re saying.
      • I think Republican officials have found that by going after antisemitism on campus, they’re able to further a right-wing agenda that attacks the autonomy of universities.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      98%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      UCLA removes police chief after protesters clashed over Gaza war

      BBC News Site: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68702081, About Us URL: https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/ Max Matza Thursday, 23 May 2024 05:25
      • Unique Points
        • UCLA has temporarily removed its chief of police, John Thomas, after probing his officers’ response to a violent melee on campus.
        • Over 200 arrests were made and campus was closed, switching to remote learning.
      • Accuracy
        • Hundreds of California Highway Patrol officers cleared the encampment.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      83%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      UCLA police chief temporarily reassigned in wake of counter-protest violence

      Los Angeles Daily News Nathaniel Percy Wednesday, 22 May 2024 18:02
      • Unique Points
        • UCLA Police Chief John Thomas has been temporarily reassigned and replaced by Capt. Gawin Gibson as interim police chief.
        • Violence broke out between counter-protesters and a pro-Palestinian encampment on UCLA’s campus on April 30, resulting in several injuries.
        • LAPD officers arrived at the scene three hours after the violence began and did not break up the confrontation until six hours later.
        • Hundreds of California Highway Patrol officers cleared the encampment, arresting over 200 people and temporarily shifting classes to remote learning.
        • Dr. Matt Barreto, a UCLA professor, believes Chancellor Block may also be involved in poor judgment regarding police response.
        • Bharat Venkat, a professor at UCLA, expressed concern over increased security presence on campus and lack of communication from police.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (30%)
        The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of UCLA's poor handling of the counter-protest violence. The author does not provide any context or information about potential reasons for the slow law enforcement response or alternative perspectives. Additionally, there is emotional manipulation through phrases such as 'counter-protesters attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment' and 'hundreds of California Highway Patrol officers cleared the encampment, ripping apart a barricade of plywood, pallets, metal fences and trash dumpsters while also dragging away tents and canopies'. These phrases create a negative emotional response towards the counter-protesters and the clearing of the encampment.
        • hundreds of California Highway Patrol officers cleared the encampment, ripping apart a barricade of plywood, pallets, metal fences and trash dumpsters while also dragging away tents and canopies
        • What unfolded at UCLA calls into question whether UCLA complied with the guidelines to have in place senior administrators trained in crowd-control response, with written plans for response that were the product of scenario training and consultation with its Police Department and outside law enforcement agencies.
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting Dr. Matt Barreto and Bharat Venkat's opinions that Chancellor Gene Block was also involved in the poor judgment regarding the slow police response. This is not a fallacy as it is a valid use of an expert opinion, but it lowers the score because it brings attention to potential issues with decision-making within UCLA administration.
        • Dr. Matt Barreto said Tuesday's news signaled to him and other staff members that Thomas was not the only one to blame for the slow police response.
        • Bharat Venkat, a professor in the university's life sciences department, said there has been a ton of security with UCLA police officers everywhere on campus, some following faculty and students around and demanding that they prove who they are.
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      95%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      UCLA police chief reassigned following criticism over handling of campus demonstrations

      The Associated Press News Wednesday, 22 May 2024 17:11
      • Unique Points
        • UCLA police chief, John Thomas, has been reassigned following criticism over his handling of recent campus demonstrations
        • Reassignment comes after a mob attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment on April 30
        • Counterdemonstrators threw traffic cones, released pepper spray and tore down barriers during the attack
        • Fighting continued for several hours before police intervened and no one was arrested, at least 15 protesters suffered injuries
        • Chancellor Gene Block ordered a review of campus security procedures after criticism of Thomas’ response
        • New chief safety officer position created to oversee campus security operations
        • Rick Braziel, a former Sacramento police chief, will lead the new Office of Campus Safety that will oversee the UCLA Police Department
      • Accuracy
        • Fighting continued for several hours before police intervened and no one was arrested
        • At least 15 protesters suffered injuries
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The article contains a few informal fallacies and an example of inflammatory rhetoric. It also uses a direct quote from the subject of the article which is not considered a fallacy but rather a position held by the subject.
        • . Chief John Thomas was temporarily reassigned Tuesday “pending an examination of our security processes,” said Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, in a statement released Wednesday.
        • UCLA’s May 5 announcement of the creation of a new chief safety officer position to oversee campus security operations.
        • On April 30, counterdemonstrators attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment, throwing traffic cones, releasing pepper spray and tearing down barriers. Fighting continued for several hours before police stepped in, and no one was arrested. At least 15 protesters suffered injuries.
        • The union that represents more than 250 officers who police the 10 UC campuses criticized Thomas’ reassignment.
        • UCLA administration owns the failure of any protest response, and the public should reject their attempts to shift blame to law enforcement.
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication