On the same day that U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions warned federal funding may be denied to sanctuary cities, Culver City joined its 300 sanctuary city brothers.

Since the mood in Council Chambers was certain to be verbally stormy and potentially physically threatening, the Police Dept. was very much in evidence for Monday evening’s City Council meeting.

It was shrewd of Chief Scott Bixby to strategically spot five or six of his uniformed officers.

They came in handy when the boys on both sides clashed with their mouths.

At least two people temporarily were escorted from Chambers.

No one mistook the cops for passive observers, their normal role at Council meetings where they take their seats toward the rear.

Their protection-tinted presence sounded an ironic note on the night of a thundering sanctuary city discussion, which held that cops should take a step back.

Noiselessly and guardedly, they patrolled the overflow room. No one doubted why they were there or the necessity of their presence.

There were at least two bizarre moments of inappropriate behavior.  Both involved anti-sanctuary city protestors who called out members of City Council for not looking at them while they were speaking.

The cops’ visibility was bitingly ironic since they were the targets or the silent stars of the burgeoning nationwide debate over sanctuary cities.

One central controversy is whether community police officers are being handcuffed by the new narrow, highly specific guidelines that forbid hometown officers from  interfering (?) with illegal immigrants whom President Trump has been targeting since his election five months ago.

The City Council was divided on that subject 3-1. Only lonely Vice Mayor Jeff Cooper contended that Culver City’s department already was following the hands-off guidelines and did not need further restraints.