Compton’s Chairman of Public Safety, Bishop L.J. Guillory is stepping down following a confrontation with a community activist last week, but told KNX News’ Karen Adams he’s running for mayor.
“[Compton Mayor Emma Sharif] asked me to step down. I decided to step up,” he said.
Guillory said he's running for mayor of Compton because the city needs him.
“I refuse to continue to allow these people to run the city all the way to the damn ground,” he said.
Last week, Guillory and a community activist got into a physical altercation that was caught on camera. It happened after a news conference in which activists and others urged Guillory to step down for calling ICE into Compton, and for insensitive and what they called racist remarks he made about the Latino population there.
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Guillory told KTLA the time that he went to the press conference to defend himself. He also defended himself and his comments to Adams.
“We targeted and requested the targeting of drug dealers, gang bangers, murderers, individuals who have been deported several times, and constantly just come right back and make fun and a mockery of the fact that they've been put out,” he said. “If I'm wrong for standing up for the people that are American citizens in America, then I'm whatever you call me.”
His time as commission chair ends December 31st.
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