Hundreds of cases under review after video shows retired LAPD detective using racial slur

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced his office will review 370 past cases handled by a retired Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective who is heard and seen on cellphone video using a racial slur during an argument after a crash in Valencia.

Video of the incident was posted to the @whatsupscv Twitter account and shows the former detective demanding the other man provide his driver's license.

There is considerable noise at the beginning of the video, so it is difficult to hear who used the racial slur first, but the former detective said he used it after the other man used it. The other man is heard using the slur toward the former detective at least once before the video cuts off.


"The video in question is disturbing & involves a former homicide detective exhibiting racist tendencies,'' Gascon wrote on Twitter Tuesday night.

Gascon went on to say his office "is taking immediate action & has identified several cases where this individual was a witness. We are in the process of notifying defense attorneys in such cases.''

The department issued a statement pledging its full cooperation with the process.

"The individual is not a current member of the LAPD and retired in May 2020 as a detective assigned to Operations Central Bureau Homicide. 

"To ensure there is no current department nexus to this incident, there has been an internal investigation started.

"What is seen in the video is not reflective of the thousands of hard working and dedicated men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department.''

Neither Gascon or the department identified the retired detective.

Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.