DA charges LAPD officer for secretly recording coworkers' bigoted comments, sparking criticism

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office indicted Officer Daniel Flores on 16 felony counts of eavesdropping after he secretly captured fellow officers using slurs against Asians, Mexicans, women and other groups in the LAPD Training Division. Hochman said the recordings, while reprehensible, violated California’s two-party consent statute and therefore could not be ignored. Prosecutors claim Flores edited the tapes to remove his own comments and used the material to support a retaliation lawsuit he filed.

Critics, including Mayor Karen Bass and six anonymous county prosecutors, argue the charges send a chilling message to officers who expose misconduct. Flores' attorney has not responded, and the officer is set for arraignment on Aug. 10. The case revives debate over whistleblower protections and police accountability in a department with a history of bias allegations.