Commentary: Protecting the blue wall of silence is not justice in LAPD whistleblower case

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Set us as preferred Los Angeles police Officer Daniel Flores may have broken the law when he secretly recorded his colleagues making ugly, unacceptable comments that were variously racist, homophobic, misogynistic or otherwise gross and unprofessional at best.So L.A.

County Dist.Atty.

Nathan Hochman is right to take this, or any, violation of the law by a badge-wearing member of our police force seriously, no matter what Flores’ intent was.But Monday, Flores was arraigned on 16 felony counts that could lock him up in state prison for 13 years (he pleaded not guilty).

That court hearing was preceded by an unusual and disturbing summary of the case filed with the court by Hochman.It seemed like an inappropriate attempt to smear Flores as a money-grubber with a convoluted plan to sue taxpayers into a sweet retirement (as opposed to intending to expose misconduct), while simultaneously giving an aw-shucks, it-was-all-in-good-fun defense of the ugly commentary of the recorded officers.

Regardless of what Hochman’s intent is in throwing the book at Flores, the result is one that will haunt this city for years to come: a police force in which the officers are clear that if you rat out the cops for misconduct, you get what you get.“The message to everyone in the police department is keep your mouth shut,” said David A.

Harris, a law professor at University of Pittsburgh and an expert on police misconduct.“You cannot stand up for principle or even for the policy of the police department, except at the risk of your own career and your own well-being, and perhaps your freedom.” California LAPD Officer Daniel Flores pleaded not guilty Monday to 16 counts of felony eavesdropping, and his lawyer accused Dist.

Attny.Nathan Hochman of making “a desperate effort to save face” with a motion last week that sought to justi...