LOS ANGELES, CA – A Los Angeles police officer was arrested in Monrovia on Oct. 22 on suspicion of arranging a meeting with someone he allegedly believed was a 16-year-old girl, and he was released without charges while the investigation continues, according to statements from the Monrovia and Los Angeles police departments.
The Monrovia Police Department said officers responded at about 9:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, to the 300 block of West Olive Avenue. After an investigation, a 30-year-old man was arrested for an alleged violation of California Penal Code section 288.4, the department said.
Jail records show the man was released hours later without charges. The Monrovia Police Department said the investigation is ongoing and no additional details were available for release.
The Los Angeles Police Department said it is aware of an arrest involving a Department employee and is fully cooperating with the investigation. The statement did not name the employee or describe the circumstances of the arrest.
Monrovia police cite Penal Code section 288.4
The Monrovia Police Department described the statute as covering the arranging of a meeting with a minor, or someone believed to be a minor, for lewd purposes.
The law also addresses a person who goes to the arranged meeting place at or about the arranged time. That conduct can raise the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony.
An arrest is not a conviction, and the allegations remain subject to the criminal court process. The man has not been charged, and the allegations have not been proven.
Group describes the confrontation
A group that says it targets people suspected of trying to meet minors has described what led to the arrest. According to initial reports, the group identified the man as an LAPD officer.
A member of the group says he communicated with the man for three days while posing as a 16-year-old girl. The member says the conversation turned toward meeting in person and that the man asked whether he should bring condoms.
The group says the man arrived at the meeting location expecting to meet a teenage girl and instead met members of the group. The member says he told the man again that he was 16 and that, at that point, he did not know the man was a police officer.
The group alleges the man tried to run, and that members chased him down and held him until Monrovia officers arrived. Those statements are allegations from the group and have not been independently established. Neither police department has described the confrontation.
LAPD says it is cooperating
The LAPD has not said publicly whether the employee remains on duty. It has also not said how long he has worked for the department.
The LAPD’s Professional Standards Bureau includes the Internal Affairs Division, which serves as the chief of police’s investigative arm for employee misconduct complaints that are administrative or have potential criminal elements. The bureau reviews all complaints to decide which unit investigates them.
The bureau’s 2021 annual review explains the complaint process, the number and source of complaints, and progressive discipline. The LAPD has not said whether the bureau is handling this case.
District attorney reviews law enforcement cases
Allegations of criminal misconduct by peace officers go to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for review and a charging decision, under a protocol for referring allegations of criminal misconduct by law enforcement personnel.
Under that protocol, the DA’s Justice System Integrity Division informs the law enforcement agency of its filing decision within 60 days. The exceptions are unusual circumstances or cases where further investigation is required.
The District Attorney’s Office has not announced a charging decision in this case.
No charges filed as investigation continues
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Monrovia Police Department.
As of Tuesday, the man had been arrested and released but not charged. The Monrovia Police Department’s investigation remains active, and the LAPD says it is cooperating.
