MacArthur Park, long known for drug use and homeless encampments near downtown Los Angeles, became the focus of a major federal drug operation just as the mayoral campaign moved into its voting period. Federal authorities and the Los Angeles Police Department carried out the raid Wednesday in and around the park, leading to 18 arrests, according to the Associated Press.
The operation targeted fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution in the densely populated immigrant neighborhood west of downtown, an area where residents have lodged years of complaints about crime, drug use and gang activity, AP reported. The mayoral primary election is scheduled to end June 2, with voting already under way.
For Bass, a Democrat seeking a second four-year term, the raid comes during a difficult first term shaped by the most destructive wildfire in city history and its aftermath, AP said. In the race, Bass has sought to convince the city council to accelerate police hiring, arguing that public safety remains constrained by department capacity.
Drug enforcement at the park also fed a political debate over harm-reduction services. City Hall has faced pressure to suspend a needle giveaway program at MacArthur Park, which some residents have blamed for sustaining the neighborhood’s problems rather than solving them. Such programs, AP said, provide drug users with clean needles as a way to prevent transmission of HIV or other infections.
During a Wednesday debate, Bass signaled she would end the needle giveaway program at the park, placing her in agreement with Republican challenger Spencer Pratt. Pratt said he wanted a citywide ban on needle exchanges, while another candidate, Democratic City Councilmember Nithya Raman, said she would retain the program.
Bass spokesperson Paige Sterling said in a statement that, “We are actively reviewing these programs citywide and recognize that many of them are operating alongside other valuable services.” During the debate, Pratt also challenged the idea that crime statistics would resolve residents’ concerns, saying, “No matter what these crime statistics are telling anybody, it’s not how people feel on the street.”
The federal role in Wednesday’s raid highlighted a rare federal-and-local effort, AP reported. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump administration appointee, said in a statement that authorities were “reclaiming MacArthur Park from criminals and drug addicts to return this public space to the citizens.” AP also reported that Bass said the operation had been planned for “many months,” while Pratt praised the joint raid as “unbelievable.”
The raid and the needle exchange dispute unfolded against broader concerns that residents and candidates have raised about policing resources, homelessness and public safety in Los Angeles. AP said police statistics show property and violent crime are down this year compared with 2025, but Bass and other candidates continued to press for changes to staffing levels and city safety priorities.
The race in Los Angeles—whose population is falling and where homelessness, rents and home prices have been persistent campaign issues—also includes tech entrepreneur Adam Miller and community activist Rae Huang, AP said. As a candidate four years ago, Bass talked of expanding the police department, and AP reported that sworn personnel have dropped from a high of 10,000 in 2020 to roughly 8,700.
Among the people watching developments around the park were local business owners. Norm Langer, who owns Langer’s Delicatessen across from MacArthur Park, told reporters Wednesday he was “absolutely thrilled” with the federal raid, while also appearing to question whether Bass is committed to ending the needle giveaway program, saying it is “prolonging these people getting help,” according to AP. John Alle, who owns the building, said the LAPD had cut patrols in the park and that “The crime has not gone down.”
Associated Press journalist Eugene Garcia contributed.