Introduction

In 2017, a private investigator was videotaped being approached by a Los Angeles police officer who appeared to be investigating a crime. The officer immediately pulled out his gun and ordered the private investigator to put his hands up. The private investigator complied and was then handcuffed and placed in the back of the patrol car.

The Los Angeles Police Department released a statement saying that the officer had responded to a report of a suspicious person in the area and that the private investigator had been detained for questioning. The department also said that an internal investigation had been launched into the incident.

The private investigator was later released without charge.

What happened

A Los Angeles police officer is facing possible charges after he was caught on camera pointing his gun at a private investigator who was filming a house fire in the Hollywood Hills.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, as the private investigator, James L. O’Keefe, was filming a house fire near Mulholland Drive. O’Keefe said that he was standing on public property when the officer, who has not been identified, approached him and demanded to know what he was doing.

O’Keefe said that he explained that he was a private investigator and that he was filming the fire for his own purposes. He said that the officer then asked for his ID and began to frisk him. O’Keefe said that he asked the officer why he was being frisked and the officer replied that “it’s for your own safety.”

O’Keefe said that he then asked the officer if he could film the encounter and the officer replied, “No, you can’t film me.” The officer then pointed his gun at O’Keefe and ordered him to put down his camera.

O’Keefe said that he complied with the officer’s orders and put down his camera. He said that the officer then handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a patrol car. He was later released without being charged with any crime.

The Los Angeles Police Department has launched an internal investigation into the incident. The officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The aftermath

The aftermath of the incident is still being investigated by the LAPD. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

What could have been done differently

It’s unclear what, if anything, could have been done differently in this situation. The private investigator was apparently following the cop, and the cop perceived this as a threat. It’s possible that the investigator could have been more careful to not be so obvious in his surveillance, but it’s also possible that the cop overreacted. In any case, it’s fortunate that no one was hurt.