In a heartfelt display of support for fallen law enforcement, relatives of Los Angeles Police Department officers gathered on Sunday to voice their condemnation of recent remarks made by Ysabel Jurado, a City Council candidate. Jurado, who is running against incumbent Kevin de León, was recorded earlier this month at a college forum making derogatory comments about the police, using a controversial lyric from a protest song. The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), the union representing LAPD officers, organized the news conference and has since called for Jurado to withdraw from the race.
Melissa Swailes, widow of Officer David Swailes who died by suicide, expressed her disappointment. “An apology at this point would only be political, it wouldn’t feel genuine. She’s had the chance to apologize immediately after her remarks, but she hasn’t,” Swailes said, underscoring the ongoing pain felt by families of fallen officers. Jurado has not publicly apologized, a silence Swailes describes as “meaningless.”
Angela Mendoza, the girlfriend of Officer Fernando Arroyos who was killed in an ambush while they were viewing homes, spoke of the distress Jurado’s comments stirred within her. “Hearing her statement was a slap in the face. He was murdered just because of who he was, what he did, which was to be an LAPD officer. They are humans, and the anti-police rhetoric needs to stop,” she said.
The contentious remarks stem from an Oct. 17 meeting at Cal State Los Angeles, where a student asked Jurado for her stance on police funding. In response, Jurado quoted a line from a 1988 protest song by N.W.A., saying, “[Expletive] the police, that’s how I see ‘em.” Jurado later defended her statement, framing it as part of a larger conversation about systemic injustice and police accountability, emphasizing her dedication to public safety.
Despite the backlash, Jurado remains a contender for the 14th District seat, which covers areas including Boyle Heights and parts of Downtown and Northeast Los Angeles. The LAPPL and Douglas Emmett Management have since launched a digital ad campaign and website, urging district voters not to support Jurado in the upcoming election. The LAPPL’s campaign aims to underscore what they consider Jurado’s “attack on local police officers” and reinforce support for law enforcement within the community.
As the Nov. 5 election nears, both sides of the debate over police support and accountability remain sharply divided, with residents and families of LAPD officers calling for respect and sensitivity toward those who serve in law enforcement.
