Undercover Fontana police officers mistaken for ICE, leading to chaotic protest

FONTANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A large crowd gathered outside a residence in Cudahy last week as undercover Fontana police officers served a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation, according to police.

Authorities said some people at the scene believed the operation involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement and began recording the officers with their cellphones. Police said the operation was not related to ICE.

Fontana police Sgt. Nathan Weiske said officers identified themselves and informed the crowd they were not conducting an immigration enforcement action, but the crowd grew increasingly agitated.

"During the service of that search warrant, at that residence for the narcotics, they were approached by a very hostile, agitated crowd. They identified themselves as Fontana police officers," Weiske said.

"They said they were not doing anything with ICE," Weiske added. "They kept getting yelled at that they were ICE. They showed proof that they're not."

Weiske said the officers had Fontana police badges, but the crowd did not cooperate.

According to police, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department later became involved as the crowd grew to nearly 100 protestors. Authorities allege multiple police vehicles were vandalized, including tires being slashed.

"They feloniously vandalized their vehicles, they slashed their tires, they started to break the vehicles, which crosses that line of peaceful protest to interfering with an investigation," Weiske said. "And these officers were out there in their community trying to take drugs off the street, which is taking poison out of the hands of children."

Fontana police said they do not assist with ICE operations except in emergency situations involving public safety.

"If they're in trouble and something bad is happening we're going to assist to that point," Weiske said. "But we do not enforce immigration. It is not our point. It's not our duty. We serve the citizens of Fontana and the community."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating the reported vandalism and whether charges will be filed. No arrests had been made as of the time of the report.