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News Sep 15, 2023
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A Los Angeles Police Department assistant chief is under internal investigation after an LAPD officer with whom he was romantically involved accused him of using at least one Apple AirTag to track her movements, according to a report published Thursday.
Al Labrada had his city phone confiscated shortly after the woman filed a police report in Ontario within the past week, sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing probe publicly told the Los Angeles Times.
The woman alleged that she discovered an AirTag — a small tracking device that can be attached to personal items — in some of her possessions, according to The Times.
When reached by phone on Thursday, Labrada declined to comment to The Times. Later, his attorney, Jeremy Tissot, sent a statement to The Times saying that Labrada “denies all allegations against him, which are completely false.”
“We expect him to be fully vindicated of these allegations, and he is considering all potential legal remedies by and through my office, against responsible parties in relation to these false and defamatory allegations,” the statement read.
An LAPD spokeswoman confirmed to The Times that the department had begun an internal affairs case into a “crime report involving the actions of AC Labrada,” but would not comment further. Capt. Kelly Muniz, the commanding officer of the Media Relations Division, told The Times Labrada would remain in his post.
Two sources familiar with the case told The Times the female officer suspected that Labrada was the person who left the AirTag in her possessions because he was the only one with access to them.
Ontario police confirmed to The Times that a woman with that name made a report alleging that she was being stalked, and officials there released an incident log that showed the report was taken on Sept. 7. However, police told The Times the report itself was not public record.
The LAPD began its own investigation after learning of the report, according to The Times.
Labrada is one of three assistant chiefs who report directly to Chief Michel Moore. He is the director of the Office of Special Operations, overseeing the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau, Detective Bureau and Transit Services Bureau, according to his biography on the department’s website.
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