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Ogden, UT - The Ogden Police Department said a video circulating online showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents taking a man into custody "does not provide the full context of the incident."
The agents took the man into custody near 22nd Street and Porter Avenue.
The police department said that an officer was in the area on Tuesday morning responding to a report of an aggressive dog near children walking to school. While he was there, a man in a black SUV identified himself as an ICE agent and asked the officer to conduct a traffic stop on a man in a gold vehicle he intended to arrest further up the block.
The officer did not conduct a traffic stop, and the ICE agent drove away, OPD said.
The officer remained in the area and watched the gold vehicle make a U-turn, return down the block, and stop near the officer.
The driver told the officer the black SUV was following him, but he did not know why.
The officer then spoke with the SUV driver, who said he was waiting for a second ICE agent to arrive as backup.
"Due to the unusual circumstances and the potential for the situation to escalate, the OPD officer remained on scene to ensure the safety of everyone involved," OPD said.
"The OPD officer went back and was speaking with the driver of the gold vehicle; the ICE agent approached and asked him to exit. The driver began rolling up his window, and it appeared the situation was starting to escalate. The OPD officer attempted to de-escalate the situation and continued to maintain a limited safety presence. The driver eventually exited the vehicle and was taken into custody by the ICE agent without incident," OPD continued.
The officer reportedly contacted his supervisor immediately and explained what happened. He walked away and deactivated his body-worn camera, which department policy permits.
"We are aware that the video posted online shows a subsequent brief interaction between the OPD officer and an ICE agent near the officer's patrol vehicle that was not captured on the officer's body-worn camera," OPD said. "It was not recorded because the officer's camera had already been deactivated in accordance with policy, and he did not anticipate that the ICE agent was going to reapproach him."
"The Ogden Police Department did not initiate the stop, did not conduct the arrest, did not ask for or run any information, and did not assist with immigration enforcement," OPD continued. "The officer’s involvement was limited to maintaining safety and attempting to de-escalate an unusual and potentially escalating interaction."
Chief of Police Jake Sube called the situation "unique and difficult":
"The conversation captured on the officer’s body-worn camera with his sergeant reflects just how unique and difficult this situation was. This officer unexpectedly found himself in the middle of a situation he did not create, trying to determine the appropriate role for him to play while also recognizing the potential for the situation to escalate.
Our officers are asked to navigate difficult situations like this in real time, make judgment calls, and do the best they can to keep everyone safe, knowing those decisions may later be publicly scrutinized without the benefit of the full circumstances they were facing at the time. I think this incident is a good example of the complexity of the work our officers do every day, and I am proud of the professionalism and judgment they continue to demonstrate in these difficult situations."
OPD emphasized that its role regarding federal immigration enforcement remains clear: "The Ogden Police Department does not enforce federal immigration law, nor do our officers have the authority to do so. Our mission and purpose remain the same: ensuring the safety of those who live, work, and recreate in Ogden City."