A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer was arrested by Upland police on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said Thursday.
Officer Arthur Contreras, a 28-year veteran of the LAPD, was arrested Wednesday, according to the LAPD. He was subsequently released, but has been placed on administrative leave, the LAPD reported.
"The Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs Division initiated an administrative investigation, which is being conducted simultaneously with the pending criminal case," according to an LAPD statement.
No details were immediately available from authorities about what led to the arrest.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the 55-year-old officer was arrested about 3:15 PM Wednesday at a residence in Upland. He was booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, and was released after posting $40,000 bail, The Times reported.
Yesterday @UplandPD arrested LAPD Police Officer Arthur Contreras for assault with a deadly weapon involving an incident that occurred at this #Upland bar. Contreras is out of custody and is currently on administrative leave. #NBCLA pic.twitter.com/nHUyAPEGQi
— AlexVnews (@alexvnews) June 22, 2023
Contreras has an initial appearance at Rancho Superior Courthouse in Rancho Cucamonga set for Friday morning.
An LAPD source with knowledge of the case told the Los Angeles Times that the alleged attack occurred around lunchtime Wednesday at an undisclosed bar. Contreras is suspected of following a fellow bar patron into a bathroom, where the off-duty officer allegedly tried to stab the man in the chest but instead cut the man's arm, according to the source.
KTLA reported that the alleged stabbing occurred "at a bar in the 1600 block of North Mountain Avenue" in Upland.
Contreras was assigned to the Detective Support and Vice Division, according to the LAPD and public records.
"The department is fully cooperating with the District Attorney's Office and the Upland Police Department's investigation relating to Contreras' alleged criminal conduct," the LAPD reported.
Contreras is the latest Los Angeles police officer to be arrested.
At the end of last year, seven LAPD officers were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. And in recent months, LAPD officers have been arrested for rape and sexual assault of a child. In March, an LAPD officer was convicted of perjury for filing a false police report.
L.A. TACO reporter Lexis-Olivier Ray contributed to this report.
