Accused of lying about a motorist allegedly driving under the influence during an arrest, a former LAPD motorcycle officer was charged Tuesday with filing a false report and perjury.
On October 18, 2019, LAPD Officer Alejandro Castillo pulled over a driver in the Hollywood area for allegedly making an unsafe left turn. The driver was given a sobriety test and arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence.
After unspecified concerns were identified by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office while reviewing body-worn camera videos for DUI arrests the officer made in October 2019, LAPD’s Internal Affairs Division began investigating Castillo, who was a 13-year veteran LAPD officer. As a result of the investigation, DUI charges were not filed against the driver that Castillo arrested.
“Investigators working in partnership with the Justice System Integrity Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office established probable cause to believe that the officer’s BWV (body worn video) footage was inconsistent with the written report,” according to the LAPD.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the following in a statement: “The allegations of an officer falsifying a police report are extremely troubling and there must be accountability. This Department is fully cooperating with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in this matter.”
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that Castillo has been charged with one felony count each of filing a false report and perjury. District Attorney Gascón stated in a press release, “We depend on law enforcement officers to tell the truth, especially when failure to do so jeopardizes another person’s liberty.”
Castillo was initially arrested on
July 20. He has been relieved of his police powers, booked into the
Metropolitan Detention Center, and later released on his own recognizance.
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