On Thursday, Los Angeles County prosecutors charged San Fernando Police Officer Jeffrey King with robbery for allegedly stealing cash from an arrestee last June.
According to prosecutors, King was reportedly responding to a possible domestic violence call on June 21 at a house in San Fernando when he "took cell phones and cash" from a suspect who was restrained.
The suspect was subsequently arrested and booked in jail. Two days later, when they were released from custody, the suspect claimed they were missing cash that they had in their pocket during the arrest.
The suspect's cell phone was handed over to a supervisor, but prosecutors said the cash was never booked as evidence.
At the request of the Chief of the San Fernando Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigated the case.
“Law enforcement officers take an oath to uphold the law, not to break it," Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. "Maintaining integrity is a fundamental principle of law enforcement, and stealing personal belongings during an arrest is a clear violation of that trust."
"No one should have their rights compromised, especially by those who are tasked with protecting them," Gascón said.
King is charged with one felony count each of second-degree robbery and extortion and one misdemeanor count of petty theft. Earlier this week, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The Los Angeles Times reported that when reached for comment the San Fernando Police Department did not "immediately clarify" if King is still working for the department.
