Former Vice President Kamala Harris lost her temporary LAPD security detail, leaving her to scramble for private protection, according to Breitbart.
President Donald Trump revoked Harris’s Secret Service protection on Monday, prompting the LAPD and California Highway Patrol to step in briefly.
The LAPD ended its involvement by Saturday after internal backlash. This whirlwind of events left Harris, a polarizing figure, to fend for herself in arranging private security.
Trump’s decision to pull Secret Service protection, typically extended six months post-tenure, sparked immediate action in California. President Biden had previously extended Harris’s protection beyond the norm. Yet, Trump, her November election rival, swiftly reversed that privilege.
Gov. Gavin Newsom diverted California Highway Patrol officers to shield Harris. The LAPD, meanwhile, reassigned its elite Metropolitan Division officers from crime suppression to her detail. This move raised eyebrows among officers tasked with battling high-crime areas.
LAPD’s role was meant as a stopgap until Harris secured alternative plans. A dozen or more officers were stationed outside her Brentwood home. The city of Los Angeles was expected to foot the bill for this temporary effort.
“This temporary coordinated effort is in place to ensure that there is no lapse in security,” said Jennifer Forkish, L.A. police communications director. Nice try, but diverting cops from crime-ridden streets to babysit a political figure reeks of misplaced priorities. Harris’s safety matters, but so does the public’s.
By Saturday, LAPD officers were no longer visible outside Harris’s residence. Internal criticism within the department forced a quick reversal.
Officers argued that protecting Harris pulled them from critical crime-fighting duties. The LAPD’s Metropolitan Division is designed for high-stakes crime suppression, not VIP escorts.
Reassigning them to Harris’s detail sparked frustration among rank-and-file officers. The department’s swift backtrack suggests they heard the complaints loud and clear.
Harris, now without LAPD or Secret Service protection, must hire her own security team. Private security isn’t cheap, but it’s a necessary expense for someone of her profile. One wonders if her progressive allies will applaud this return to “self-reliance.”
Harris’s political stock remains in flux as she navigates this security shakeup. She has ruled out a 2026 run for California governor. A 2028 presidential bid is on her radar, but nothing is certain.
The revocation of Secret Service protection is standard for former vice presidents after six months. Biden’s extension was an exception, not the rule. Trump’s move, while abrupt, aligns with precedent, even if it stings for Harris.
California’s brief intervention highlights the tension between public safety and political privilege. Newsom’s decision to deploy Highway Patrol officers was a quick fix, but it couldn’t last. The state’s resources are stretched thin enough without playing bodyguard to former officials.
The LAPD’s short-lived protection detail for Harris underscores a broader issue: resource allocation.
Officers patrolling Brentwood for a single politician aren’t patrolling high-crime neighborhoods. It’s a stark reminder of how progressive policies often prioritize optics over outcomes.
Harris’s need for security is undeniable, given her high-profile status. Yet, expecting taxpayers to fund it while crime spikes is a tough sell. Private security is her next logical step, and she’s got the means to make it happen.
This saga exposes the fault lines in our system—where political elites expect special treatment while ordinary citizens bear the cost.
Harris will be fine, but the LAPD’s return to crime-fighting duties is a win for common sense. Let’s hope Harris’s private security plan comes together before the next headline.
