LA City Council candidate says 'F--- the police' in leaked audio, prompting blowback from police union

A Los Angeles City Council candidate has come under heavy criticism after she said, "F--- the police," during a meet-and-greet event with college students in which an audio recording was leaked.

Ysabel Jurado, who is running to unseat Councilmember Kevin de León, who has also come under heavy scrutiny for remarks made in a leaked recording in 2022, was meeting with California State University, Los Angeles, students on Oct. 17 at the time of the incident. 

Jurado was asked about her stance on spending discretionary funds on police overtime. 

"What's the rap verse? F--- the police, that's how I see them," Jurado responded, appearing to reference the 1988 N.W.A. song, "F*** tha Police."

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"I quoted a lyric from a song that's been part of a larger conversation on systemic injustice and police accountability for decades," Jurado said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "But it was just a lyric — and I'm proud to be accessible to young people and students, listening to their concerns and treating them like the future leaders they are.

"That's something my opponent has failed to do. My commitment to public safety remains as strong as ever."

In a statement issued to Fox News Digital, Dominic Choi, interim chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, said the phrase is "disappointing and diminishes the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the LAPD."

"This divisive language only serves to erode what should be a positive and collaborative relationship between the police and the people we serve," he said. "Every day the men and women of the LAPD put their lives on the line to keep the people of Los Angeles safe, and I wish more people valued their sacrifice."

The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), which represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, released an ad Tuesday calling for voters to choose another council candidate over the "foul-mouthed, immature and disrespectful f-bomb attack on local police officers."

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"Residents in Council District 14 don’t need to guess about how Ysabel Jurado feels about police officers," said LAPPL President Craig Lally. "Ms. Jurado told them loud and clear that if she wins, it will be 'F-the police,' and that means fewer officers patrolling neighborhoods and enforcing the law. It means more crime and more victims of crime. Ms. Jurado does not support Mayor (Karen) Bass’s efforts to improve the police department or hire more officers. She has no business making decisions about the safety of Angelenos."

Jurado noted that she was committed to public safety but that Los Angeles was teetering on the edge of a fiscal emergency because of reckless fiscal decisions, including massive payouts because of police misconduct.

"I’m prepared to work with whoever I need to — whether it’s the LAPD or colleagues I may not always see eye to eye with — because my priority is delivering for our district, plain and simple," she said. "Our campaign is about real solutions, not distractions."

Jurado is trying to unseat De Leon, who faced criticism for his involvement in a leaked recording from 2022 that contained racist remarks made by other council members during a meeting with a labor official.

The conversation happened in October 2021 but didn't come to light until Oct. 9, 2022. In the recording, De León, former Councilmember Gil Cedillo, former City Council President Nury Martinez and former Federation President Ron Herrera were discussing ways to strengthen Hispanic influence amid district boundary discussions.

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The leaked conversation caused an uproar at City Hall, prompting protests, with President Biden even being asked to weigh in on the matter.

Martinez was forced to resign shortly after the recording was leaked, while Cedillo lost his re-election bid, and De Leon resisted calls to step down.