August 9, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Members of LA Police Internal Affairs Sue City

Six members of the Los Angeles Police Internal Affairs Group are suing the city, alleging they were wrongfully reprimanded because a deputy chief believed they would speak in support of another IA member who was vocal about alleged unlawful activities and nepotism by the command staff.

The “whistleblower retalation” lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court by officers Ricardo Ortega, Rick Harris, Andrew Garcia, Sylvia Casas, Rosalie Garcia and Efrain Flores. The suit seeks unspecified damages and an injunction preventing the LAPD from engaging in such alleged illegal conduct against employees in the future.

A representative for the City Attorney’s Office could not be immediately reached Friday.

According to the lawsuit, IAG Sgt. Cathy Marx made several reports to the LAPD’s Office of the Inspector General, which has oversight over the department’s internal disciplinary process. In October 2013, Marx told the IG that a captain had committed perjury and that an investigation should be opened, the suit states. About two months later, she informed the IG that another captain ordered her to delete portions of a log recording dates on which action was taken in a particular investigation, the suit states.

The captain mentioned by Marx was the supervisor at the time of all the plaintiffs, according to the lawsuit.

In March 2014, Marx reported to the IG and others that Chief Charlie Beck’s daughter sold her personal horse to the LAPD’s mounted unit in violation of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, the suit states.

In November 2014, Marx “reported to her superiors that the chief of police had an alcohol problem” and that a group of officers met with Beck at the Saddle & Sirloin Club, the suit states.

“Marx complained that Chief Beck’s friends were passing around naked pictures of their girlfriends and then drove city vehicles while intoxicated,” the suit states.

Instead of filing complaints and investigating the command staff officers, the deputy chief in charge of IAG “launched an investigation around certain employees assigned to Internal Affairs under the belief these employees would support the allegations of unlawful activities … made by Marx,” the suit states.

In November 2014, the deputy chief ordered an audit of the Complaint Management System commonly used by the plaintiffs “in an attempt to ensnare members of Internal Affairs that McCarthy believed could testify favorably for Marx or unfavorably against any command officer accused of unlawful activity and/or nepotism,” the suit states.

The plaintiffs were reprimanded after the audit “in an attempt to discredit or simply frighten them so that the could not testify favorably for Marx or about the unlawful activities,” according to the lawsuit.

The punishment will cause the six officers to lose some overtime and pension pay and also will negatively impact their ability to promote, the suit alleges.

The lawsuit also alleges that many of the complaints made by Marx were reported by a blogger whose reports were popular among LAPD rank-and-file officers. However, no complaints or investigations were launched despite the articles, according to the lawsuit.

Marx filed her own lawsuit against the city in October 2014 that is still pending trial. She alleges that after coming forward with her various allegations against the command staff, she was “removed from a coveted position … to a position of low importance essentially relegated to reading mail generated by mentally unstable people concerning perceived wrongs caused by the police department.”

 

122492126

Related Posts

Full Moon Frights at Cinespia: Vampires, Werewolves, and a Night Under the Stars

August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025

Double Feature Coincides With Rare Celestial Triple Event Cinespia invites fans of horror comedy classics will gather under the glow...

Xenomorphs Hit Hollywood: FX Launches Global ‘Alien: Earth’ Hunt Ahead of Series Premiere

August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025

Fans Can Track “Crash-Site” Crates in LA for Instant Prizes, Photo Ops, and Sweepstakes FX is bringing the world of...

Glorya Kaufman, Dance, Arts and Health Philanthropist Who Transformed L.A.’s Landscape, Dies at 95

August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025

From Culver City, Brentwood, UCLA, USC, and Downtown LA, Her Generosity was Legendary Glorya Kaufman, a transformative benefactor to the...

Overnight Lane Closures Set for I-405 Through Sepulveda Pass Next Week

August 7, 2025

August 7, 2025

Caltrans to Close Multiple Northbound and Southbound Lanes Nightly  Caltrans will implement overnight lane closures along Interstate 405 in the...

Levain Bakery Lands in Beverly Hills with Cookies, Swag, and a Sweet Surprise

August 7, 2025

August 7, 2025

Newest Location’s Debut Includes Limited-Edition Flavor, Early-Bird Giveaways Levain Bakery will mark the opening of its newest location in Beverly...

Bistro Blue’s One Night Only Seasonal Menu Pops Up at Little City Farms August 10

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Chef Kara Vorabutr’s Garden Dinner Promises to be a Seasonal Showstopper Bistro Blue, a pop-up concept by Chef Kara Vorabutr,...

Cardinale du Vin’s Weekend Izakaya Pop-Up Blends Thai Flavors and Japanese Dishes

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Three Nights Only: Thai-Japanese Fusion Menu Launched in Pico-Robertson Cardinale du Vin is unveiling a special izakaya-inspired menu this weekend,...

Santa Monica’s Chez Jay Celebrates 66 Years with Retro Bash by the Beach

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Landmark Restaurant Celebrates With Classic Cars, Live Music, Celebrity Lore One of Los Angeles County’s most storied restaurants will mark...

Film Review: Weapons

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

By Dolores Quintana You might be asking yourself what the film Weapons is about. Not to worry, writer and director...

Classic Rock Tribute Takes Center Stage at Beverly Hills Summer Series, Concerts on Canon

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Rod Lightning and the Thunderbolts of Love Bring High-Energy Hits to the Stage The City of Beverly Hills continues its...

Trial Date Set for Alleged ‘Ketamine Queen’ in Matthew Perry’s Death

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Woman Accused in Matthew Perry’s Overdose to Face Jury The woman accused of supplying the fatal dose of ketamine that...

DUI Suspect Identified and Charged in Crash That Killed 9-Year-Old, Injured Brother

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

RV Driver to Face Serious Felony Charges After Striking Boys Riding E-Scooter The 46-year-old man who was allegedly driving under...

Late-Night Traffic Stop in L.A. Lands Rap Star Soulja Boy Back in Legal Spotlight

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Rapper Taken Into Custody During Early Morning Traffic Stop Rapper Soulja Boy was taken into custody early Sunday after Los...

Deadly Crosswalk Hit and Run in West Adams, Victim Hit Multiple Times and Left to Die

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Police Seek Public Help to Identify Three Drivers Who Struck and Killed a Pedestrian  Detectives with the Los Angeles Police...

Brentwood Bookstore Welcomes a Hollywood Insider and Secret Service Agent for a Night of Noir

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Tinseltown Thrills Meet Real-Life Intrigue With Author of To Live and Die in LA Diesel, A Bookstore will host a...