Los Angeles: On June 8, 2001, Los Angeles Police Officer Ruben Palomares along with three (3) others, was arrested in San Diego, California when he attempted to negotiate the purchase of a large quantity of cocaine. The arrest was the result of an ongoing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation. The facts surrounding this arrest were reported extensively in a subsequent Los Angeles Times article on June 15, 2001.

On the night of Palomares’ arrest, Los Angeles Police Department Internal Affairs Investigators were immediately dispatched to San Diego where they conducted interviews of some of Palomares’ alleged associates. During the course of those interviews, information was developed which lead investigators to believe that Palomares and others, including other LAPD officers, were possibly involved in the commission of other reported and unreported crimes, including theft, burglary, robbery and murder. Additional information developed from these interviews suggests a direct relationship between Palomares’ suspected criminal activity and his employment as a police officer.

Several active criminal investigations, underway for several months prior to June 8^th, have been examined in light of the information developed from the Palomares arrest. Those cases have now been assigned to Internal Affairs Group. Similarly, several cases of an administrative nature have been re-opened and are being re-examined by Internal Affairs in light of the Palomares arrest. A thorough examination of Palormares’ work history, as well as the work history of any other officer implicated in this investigation will be undertaken.

The Department enjoys a close and professional relationship with the DEA and other federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. We are committed to working with any such agency with an interest in this case, no matter where the evidence may lead.

The Los Angeles Police Department is committed to the thorough and complete investigation of these matters. The Department’s pursuit of this case is part of its ongoing efforts to aggressively combat police corruption.

Internal Affairs Group provided information for this press release. In light of the on-going nature of this investigation, no other information regarding this matter, is available for release by Media Relations Section; 213-485-3586.