Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman was put on the spot when asked to name a police chief she respects—an awkward exchange for the councilwoman already facing criticism over her recent praise of former LAPD Chief Daryl Gates.
During an interview, CNN’s Elex Michaelson asked Raman to identify a police chief she genuinely admires. She struggled to provide an answer.
“I don’t know…I don’t know,” Raman replied.
The uncomfortable moment follows Raman’s description of Gates as the “gold standard” for handling immigration enforcement during a recent debate. Gates, who led the LAPD during a deeply controversial period, remains a divisive figure in Los Angeles history.
Raman has since attempted to retract the comment, saying she did not intend to praise the former police chief.
“It was a mistake to reference his name at all. I was trying to make a point and I fumbled that point. That point was not to praise Daryl Gates in any shape or form. I sincerely apologize for mentioning his name. I know it causes real pain for so many people across Los Angeles and I shouldn’t have said it.”
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Raman originally said: “This city used to be the gold standard in terms of noncooperation with immigration enforcement years ago, under the era of Daryl Gates.”
She later clarified that she was referring to Special Order 40, a policy Gates signed in 1979 that prevents LAPD officers from stopping or questioning people solely to determine their immigration status.
According to Raman, the policy was initiated under former Mayor Tom Bradley and helped establish the foundation for the Sanctuary City Ordinance she later authored.
Still, invoking Gates triggered an immediate backlash. His tenure has been linked to police brutality, the militarization of the LAPD, Operation Hammer sweeps and the aggressive policing culture associated with the 1991 beating of Rodney King.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was among Raman’s critics, questioning whether the mayoral hopeful understood the city’s history.
“To mention Daryl Gates and to tie his name with gold standard, she obviously does not know the history of the city. She most certainly does not know the history of Black and brown Angelenos or those words would’ve never come out of her mouth.”
The controversy comes as Raman has said she would fire current LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, while declining to publicly identify whom she would appoint as his replacement.
Michaelson said more portions of his interview with Raman would be broadcast on his nightly CNN program, The Story Is with Elex Michaelson.
