LA prosecutor reduces charges against officer who exposed racist remarks
LA DA reduces felony charges to misdemeanors for officer who recorded racist colleagues, citing whistleblower concerns.
The Los Angeles district attorney has reduced the charges against a police officer who secretly recorded colleagues making racist and sexist remarks, a move that follows criticism that the original prosecution was too severe and could discourage future whistleblowers.
Officer Daniel Flores was initially charged in July with 16 felonies under a California law that prohibits secret recordings without the consent of all parties. The charges stemmed from recordings he made last year within the LAPD's recruitment division, which he later shared with the department's internal affairs unit. The recordings, first reported in early 2025, captured officers making a range of offensive comments, including racist jokes about a Latino baseball player and a remark describing a young recruit as "rapeable."
District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on Wednesday that all 16 charges would be downgraded to misdemeanors. This change allows Flores to enter a diversion agreement, meaning he can avoid jail time if he stays out of legal trouble for a year. Hochman said his office was "listening to the impact the case was having on potential whistleblowers" and acknowledged that the initial charges "sent the wrong message."
While Hochman strongly condemned the remarks made by the other officers, calling them "hate speech," he noted there was insufficient evidence to charge them with a hate crime. He maintained that Flores still broke the law and should face consequences, stating that an LAPD officer "should know the law better than anyone else." He encouraged officers to report wrongdoing through legal channels.
Flores' attorney, Alan Jackson, had previously argued that prosecuting his client sent a message that documenting bigotry would lead to a courtroom appearance. Flores was also found guilty in a separate internal LAPD investigation and received a 22-day suspension without pay. The LAPD has opened confidential disciplinary hearings against the officers who made the comments, but has not disclosed whether any have been disciplined.