"LAPD Scrambles to Cover-Up Its Cover-Up" by Daniel Guss
LA's thin blue line loses track of its big, bold lies in LAFD domestic violence scandal.
@TheGussReport on Twitter — It is disheartening trying to maintain faith in the Los Angeles Police Department considering its troubled — and ongoing — history of racism, corruption, evidence tampering and retaliation, including against this column, resulting in five-figure settlements to my attorneys and sometimes to me, with more to come.
Forty-eight hours ago, this column published a story about Kristina “Kady” Kepner, a Deputy Chief at the Los Angeles Fire Department, who (a) physically attacked her female domestic partner; (b) repeatedly threatened to kill her; (c) repeatedly threatened to kill herself; (d) tormentingly explained why the LAPD would ignore the victim’s 911 call if she made one; (e) all of the above.
The answer is (e), all of the above.
Everything was recorded and the LAPD and LAFD knew about it when it happened in 2021 and received copies of the disturbing recordings.
If you had done the same, cuffs and a jail cell would have been your immediate consequence, for starters. Kepner got neither, even though the LAPD made a criminal referral to the District Attorney.
The column racked up thousands of unique visitors and, in just the first 11.5 hours, became my most-read story since moving to Substack, which may be why the LAPD is now scrambling to cover-up its cover-up of the Kepner pummeling.
Quick Review
In developing that column, the LAFD denied knowing about Kepner’s attack and threats, but tipping my hand, it came around and let slip that the LAPD had investigated the matter and referred it to the District Attorney, but charges weren’t filed. We’ll find out in due time whether the LAPD conducted its investigation with honesty and integrity, since there’s a paper trail.
When I originally reached out to the LAPD’s public information officers, they too denied that the LAPD knew about the case, but, when similarly nudged, said the law enforcement agency can’t comment because the matter was presently under investigation.
Untrue.
The Kepner/civilian matter was closed a year ago when the District Attorney didn’t file charges. Last week, the LAPD told Kepner’s victim that it was re-investigating another domestic incident that allegedly took place between Kepner and LAPD Detective Scarlett Martinez, who is believed to be her current domestic partner. But with City Hall abuzz at the story for two days, the LAPD is now trying to use the Kepner/Martinez matter as a shield to dodge questions about the Kepner/civilian matter.
About Last Night
On Tuesday night, I emailed LAPD Chief Michel Moore and his PIO people to find out why its PIOs are being deceptive, lying by omission, etc. It was the second time in a week I needed to reach out about that to the chief, who is embroiled in yet another scandal of his own.
The response that came was from Captain Kelly Muniz, commanding officer of the Media Relations Division, which had its own racism and retaliation lawsuit filed by one of its own. It was eventually settled last August.
Muniz emailed, “Pursuant to section 832.7 of the Penal Code, the Department is precluded from disclosing information from an ongoing personnel investigation. After the investigation and adjudication have concluded, the Department will provide written notification to the complaining party of the disposition of the complaint.”
Subsequently, the captain added, “The Department has no further remarks on this investigation.”
Mazel tov, then!
If we are to take the LAPD at its word, that means it is re-opening the 2021 case between Kepner and the civilian, as well as the Kepner/Martinez matter. Otherwise, its PIO Commanding Officer is withholding information, making misleading statements and using the Kepner/Martinez matter to shield the LAPD from scrutiny on the Kepner/civilian matter.
That’s how LAPD investigations roll: deny, obfuscate, lie and transfer personnel until people and problems fade away. Except The Guss Report is waiting, not fading.
None of this is a surprise. In 2020, I filed an unrelated LAPD complaint. When Detective Heather Herrera asked me to speak, I accepted, but she was busy at the time and promised to get back to me. Three years later, I am still waiting for her to get back to me, despite occasional nudges:
The problem for the new boss of them all — Mayor Karen Bass — is that very powerful people at the LAFD and LAPD knew about Kepner’s domestic violence and terroristic threats to her victim — in real time — and did nothing. The LAPD didn’t just ignore a domestic violence victim, it covered for its pals at the LAFD and thought nobody would notice.
At least until this column started asking questions and making public records requests, like for a copy of the criminal referral it made to the D.A. Once I did that, the LAPD suddenly decided to re-open both cases.
Heck of a coincidence.
We still want to know why LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley kept promoting Kepner despite having full-knowledge and proof of her violence and threats, into jobs where she recently raked in $510,981.32 in salary, overtime and benefits. And why did she keep Kepner on a mental health advisory team despite having videos of her in a rage and showing up in an LAFD Zoom meeting with a black eye and what might be a bruise on her forehead?
That’s a pretty good grift for a place already steeped in scandals from test-cheating and sexual harassment to lowered training standards and political bribery in pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion.
You know the phrase, when you’re in a hole, stop digging?
Now would be a good time. It’s bad enough as it is, and not just for Crowley and Kepner.
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(Daniel Guss, MBA, was nominated for three 2022 LA Press Club awards and was a runner-up in 2021 and 2020. He is City Editor for the Mayor Sam network, and has been a featured contributor for CityWatchLA, KFI AM-640, iHeartMedia, 790-KABC, Cumulus Media, KCRW 89.9 FM, KRLA 870 AM, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, Movieline Magazine, Emmy Magazine, Los Angeles Business Journal, Pasadena Star-News, Los Angeles Downtown News and the Los Angeles Times in its sports, opinion, entertainment and Sunday Magazine sections among other publishers.)