Police Chief Michel Moore doesn't seem to mind that Sheriff Alex Villanueva is coming into LAPD territory and setting out to clear the homeless encampment at Venice Beach by July 4.
"The sheriff does enjoy jurisdiction across the entire county for law enforcement matters," Moore says.
Moore also points out Villanueva, unlike himself, is an elected official.
"He enjoys a great deal of discretion and he is, in his department, as a leader can determine how and which laws they go about enforcing," he says.
The police chief is appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council, which Moore points out suspended enforcement of a ban on daytime camping last year to keep people from moving around and limit the spread of COVID-19.
Given the decline in transmission, Moore argues it's time to lift the moratorium.
If the Sheriff's Department chooses to enforce the city's daytime camping ban, Moore indicates the LAPD will not join in.
Villanueva points to the Venice encampment as evidence of local politicians' "failures" in responding to the homelessness crisis and he sent out deputies to the boardwalk yesterday to start doing outreach.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents the area, says in a tweet that "any involvement from Villanueva is troubling, especially for people concerned with civil rights."