[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6165722,"mediaKeyId","5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049","parentId",5417977,"title","Board recommends revocation of LAPD detective Luke Walden’s POST certification after POST alleges attempt to buy silencer and dishonesty","audioSeconds",1758,"startMs",4791239,"endMs",6549434,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049&start=4791&end=6549","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049/thumbnail_4791239.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6165722/California/Board-recommends-revocation-of-LAPD-detective-Luke-Waldens-POST-certification-after-POST-alleges-attempt-to-buy-silencer-and-dishonesty","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165722-107ac462f413c2bbca48fa30512355fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607762&Signature=F~vBflz9F5oJAX2obeT6zWqGiEwxYDJhi4hb-jXhkiU731x0Edz4L4DZsdTDLBL91tQqMvbSou7LSIIKwbGTFH3o~sHL0mvGOSCzbTp-ToBbpC2bJIVB7Vu7j6FAX-A2pLengWmoktF20FO1Ls9JYNF3s6Z0GKnPayXKkbuxt8AxOCOiSFRVyDuV15ndadrv6kJN2D6uBTtKiRFU-F-66ecvqv40TcUr9SFn3lbUwjaTDO9WayTK0ZAipv22UUHXQFutHictipQ1u4Y9aWn7LTOMUDZ6uEcK01Vo5Nj2UHMoma2-cSWuTPM6~SGMh0LtZ0EoiM1I3rsIRtmVzLRFYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training","date","2025-07-17T21:56:46Z","article","The POST advisory board on July 16 recommended revocation of Los Angeles Police Department detective Luke Baxter Walden’s POST certification following a POST presentation that alleged he attempted to purchase an illegal firearm silencer and was dishonest in internal‑affairs interviews.

POST law enforcement consultant William Emboden told the board that U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a package from Hong Kong addressed to Walden that contained an item a forensic criminalist described as having “the general appearance of a silencer” and internal features consistent with suppressor design, not a fuel filter. Emboden said LAPD’s audit of Walden’s internet activity showed searches for threaded barrels and items marketed as fuel filters that match ATF bulletins describing online listings for suppressors sold as “fuel filters” or “solvent traps.”

The nut graf: POST presented evidence that (1) the seized assembly was a suppressor as defined under the Penal Code; (2) the item was purchased via Walden’s PayPal account on March 17, 2021; (3) LAPD criminalists and supervisors testified at a Board of Rights that the seized item was a suppressor and that Walden’s job duties included identifying suppressors; and (4) Walden repeatedly told investigators he had ordered a fuel filter and not a silencer, which POST characterized as false statements.

POST said its Internet audit showed Walden visited websites that advertised the sale of fuel filters and threaded barrels compatible with several firearms registered to him, and that the seized item matched a product code (NAPA 4003) that law-enforcement sources treat as a code word for suppressors. Emboden said LAPD’s automotive expert concluded the object could not function as a fuel filter because it lacked a filtration medium.

Walden told the board he accepted a plea agreement in the criminal case: he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor attempt to possess an assault weapon as part of a negotiated resolution; an original felony attempt‑to‑possess‑a‑silencer charge was later dismissed under that plea. Walden and his representative disputed POST’s framing of the allegation of dishonesty, noting LAPD’s internal process and asserting they did not receive full materials through the investigative record. Walden said he took a plea for financial reasons and that he returned to work after the Board of Rights process.

After closed-session deliberations, the board recorded a vote to recommend decertification. The roll call recorded seven ayes from members present; the motion carried. The board’s recommendation is a preliminary administrative finding that will be followed by POST’s notice and appeal process if the division pursues decertification.

POST recommended suspension or revocation, citing the officer’s alleged purchase of the item and repeated denials to investigators. The board’s recorded vote reflects its initial determination that POST’s presentation met the clear-and-convincing threshold required to move the matter forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","POST POSAD Advisory Board Meeting - July 16th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After POST presented evidence that an item intercepted by federal authorities was a firearm silencer ordered to the detective’s address, and that the detective repeatedly denied attempting to buy a silencer, the board voted to recommend decertification of Luke Baxter Walden.","taxTitle","Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, Other State Agencies, Executive, California","taxId",76745,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6165727,"Board recommends revocation for Torrance officer Christopher Allen Young after racialized messages",513,3996515,4510125,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049&start=3996&end=4510","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049/thumbnail_3996515.jpg","/articles/6165727/California/Board-recommends-revocation-for-Torrance-officer-Christopher-Allen-Young-after-racialized-messages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165727-720b01603acf204320af7967a47af3ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607762&Signature=GLL8sEJRBxIhZWvo-AgVScuyThWj3TYiFPXsGdm~jglqDwUZB5O69O~AX6zpANqO5EXFjstbXvG~kytupi77xMKmQEiCAYpomX~k~219Cw-OwRiSnq5Nfqp8GWL~WkfjTUD-HingppvYn4xS4ENMW6VFLapKEzUX5ZuroAbh38tPZYbN0Nxmc4YH20MrBMgxGSVIocRETMxkAGjsG-IHfdHUIfwZg3DsG2oEMaCZ5~I9IQ0Yqit8D~-TNGtnZBnEHrjrsfnccF2TS~jInS7dCs7m1fH3ktRpS6TrZjva0L7ivHwqyBhYMrYmB~zXC6QZ-KBjqBhVMoHfxvGYBa1jFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The POST advisory board on July 16 voted to recommend revocation of Torrance Police Department officer Christopher Allen Young’s certification after the division presented a set of WhatsApp and text messages it said showed racial bias.

Law enforcement consultant Robbie Bringoff presented evidence including an image meme referencing a comedian and a line the division said equated breaking a taillight to a police shooting scenario. POST concluded the message and other text exchanges, including the phrase “moon cricket hunting,” reflected prejudice toward protected classes and would lead a reasonable person to doubt Young’s ability to perform duties impartially.

The board heard the division’s analysis under POST’s cited standards for “demonstrating bias” and then voted. A roll call recorded seven ayes: Clavo, Crawford, Dudley, Glaser, Johnson, Lara and Pena. POST recorded the board’s recommendation to revoke.

The board’s vote follows POST’s initial determination that the division had clear and convincing evidence that Young’s messages met the statutory and regulatory definitions cited by POST. That preliminary standard triggers the notice‑and‑appeal process: a notice of intent, a 30‑day appeal window and the prospect of an evidentiary hearing should the officer contest the allegations.

The board did not hear additional evidence beyond the division’s presentation at the initial hearing. The action taken on July 16 is a board recommendation based on POST’s preliminary finding; it is not a final administrative adjudication.","POST presented WhatsApp and text messages it said were racist; the advisory board voted to recommend revocation of Christopher Allen Young’s certification.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6165732,"Board recommends revocation of Torrance officer Brian Kawamoto’s POST certificate after text-message evidence",0,5315974,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049&start=5315&end=5315","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049/thumbnail_5315974.jpg","/articles/6165732/California/Board-recommends-revocation-of-Torrance-officer-Brian-Kawamotos-POST-certificate-after-text-message-evidence","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165732-4338d1e7d0c7a0a306a4511223a8502d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607762&Signature=ntXJ8ZUMNGO-9aJfQlkyB6y-mduT3mbLQ2ye0yIKhoO4JjVHjtfLW7YpvqL5kAXqvg47OOizXgLSxs4G6pNHfZn6CawGaH4zgxHUIe8fpaqv~R2PkVOlGbcHR4c9w~mAWLbVbzLPnNGeYylLZmaqAMh-YbFkeBTb6hMnanIlnreytHDIpAMWZ-ZUwqPDfDEHogX5EP5srmQGBLpIOsS-QE4SrnkaJDh8KJPx-~dLsDeuAcmvOzwFgUC5vs~tlO5dKlT4ZHpzjZ38vcoqUPsig0LWN5iUYZXLKfXSbNXn1~tmbRKZKjBdkzNUgFdPYvTotiH8LwxcW18Hinx8uePBbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) advisory board on July 16 voted to recommend revocation of the certification of former Torrance Police Department officer Brian Keith Kawamoto after the division presented text-message exchanges it said demonstrated bias and were inconsistent with a peace officer’s duty to act impartially.

POST law enforcement consultant Robbie Bringoff and legal staff presented the division’s investigation, citing multiple messages sent between March and December 2019 that used racial epithets and joked about violence toward members of protected groups. The division concluded those communications undercut public confidence in Kawamoto’s ability to perform law-enforcement duties fairly.

The nut graf: the board’s action follows POST’s finding that exchanges — including the use of the slur-like term “moon crickets,” a meme referencing lynching imagery, and repeated disparaging messages about Black people — showed prejudice and, in the division’s view, met the statutory standard for “demonstrating bias” set out in POST’s cited authorities.

During the presentation Bringoff read excerpts from internal affairs interviews and message threads, including the March 25, 2019, exchange in which Kawamoto replied to a colleague’s shooting report with, “****, and I trust y’all have the moon crickets in custody in no time,” and a December 2019 chain that included a meme tied to a hanging image followed by the message “happy Kwanzaa.” POST characterized Kawamoto’s responses and approvals of such language as evidence of intolerance toward protected classes and violations of Torrance Police Department anti‑harassment policies.

The division recommended Kawamoto’s POST certification be suspended or revoked. After the presentation the board allowed public comment and asked whether counsel for the officer had notified POST; the division said counsel had been notified but did not appear.

On a motion to revoke the certification, the roll call recorded seven ‘‘ayes’’ from voting members present. The board’s recorded vote: Clavo — aye; Crawford — aye; Dudley (chair) — aye; Glaser — aye; Johnson — aye; Lara — aye; Pena — aye. The motion passed unanimously.

The board’s action at this stage is a recommendation that follows POST’s preliminary determination of clear and convincing evidence as required by statute and regulation; it is not an evidentiary finding by an administrative law judge. POST staff explained the process that follows: a notice of intent, a 30‑day opportunity to appeal, and, if appealed, a hearing before the board, the commission or an administrative law judge where evidence and defenses will be considered in full.

The board did not issue additional directions on remedies beyond the vote to recommend revocation. POST recorded the division’s recommendation and the board’s unanimous vote in the hearing record.

Sources: presentation and evidentiary excerpts delivered by POST law-enforcement consultants at the July 16, 2025, hearing.","The advisory board voted unanimously to recommend revocation of Brian Kawamoto’s POST certification after POST presented text-message exchanges that the division said demonstrated racial bias and violated Torrance Police Department policies.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6165735,"POST presents statewide data showing backlog, long agency response times and few decertifications",4316,629845,4946660,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049&start=629&end=4946","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5417977-3373b32bd73fcf5f7d5a0e534b515049/thumbnail_629845.jpg","/articles/6165735/California/POST-presents-statewide-data-showing-backlog-long-agency-response-times-and-few-decertifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6165735-24ab9b06a3886438d1c1c0492f9e14e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607762&Signature=GmezlalR13RxYNmleVHXi5M3URCDGYHmDO3foxBXnpnd-qIh7STReHgAPv6QQTFwQcZQAW~E0tITrkv2PowxxfraqAbvONivhqRO2S0XdJb2xTRq0cDoM5t9ET55sRQvD~r8pLgdV6efNwny~NAaMpljYnIX45~xjB~EcD~YrSu9kTc8l7g-djZamDStqPN3X-MtXGWUfcyLp2xWeDEVc-pZWMe1iaWfSkO-Rg5jpthTVQbVG9G9BzUEJ4v8ZEb-O1vc2Lks0FCZE~7bTxiTWYdHD6jAgT37KD7qr0sQuNx29RoW44paEixBKSOKGFV-PNEDN1-RNH-WgJmXSC9CXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) accountability division on July 16 told its advisory board that the agency has processed more than 37,000 agency misconduct reports through June 30, 2025, and is now averaging about 2,500 reports per quarter after a one-time retroactive surge.

The data presentation from analyst Chelsea Wajaya and bureau chiefs Sarah Wallace and Rob Guyton framed the volume and handling of serious-misconduct reports and public complaints, and addressed changes to POST’s review process to clear a backlog.

The presentation matters because it spells out how many allegations POST receives, how long it takes agencies to furnish their findings, and why a large share of cases are closed without POST action — information that bears on public confidence in oversight of peace officers.

POST officials said intake rose sharply in the months before the retroactive reporting deadline created by Senate Bill 2, with a quarterly peak of about 6,800 reports prior to the July 1, 2023, deadline. Since that deadline, intake has settled to roughly 2,500 reports per quarter. As of June 30, 2025, the division reported processing more than 37,000 agency misconduct reports and receiving more than 42,000 individual allegations covering about 21,000 unique officers statewide.

Wajaya described the composition of those allegations and the division’s workload. POST has received more than 31,000 supplemental agency reports — documents agencies send with updated findings or evidence — and the division reported an average lapse of 241 days between receipt of an initial agency misconduct report and the agency’s supplemental report containing findings. POST said retroactive reports (incident date prior to Jan. 1, 2023) averaged 177 days; newer reports averaged about 260 days.

The division said that approximately 2,300 public complaints have been filed with POST by roughly 1,200 complainants. Of public complaints sent to agencies for a response, about 500 produced agency misconduct reports; roughly 631 public complaints required additional agency documentation. The division reported that 10 public complaints have so far resulted in certification action.

POST also explained changes to its review process. To manage the volume, the division said it has used a limited “abbreviated review” for agency findings that are exonerations, unfounded or not sustained — except in use-of-force cases, which are reviewed by law enforcement consultants. Under abbreviated review, staff review the agency’s finding and evidence and issue a closure statement without the full law-enforcement-consultant review used for sustained findings; POST said it is auditing a sample of those abbreviated closures.

That procedural change helped produce a spike in case closures in late fiscal 2024–25. POST reported that roughly 76% of ITS (immediate temporary suspension), public-complaint and priority cases are closed; about 21% remain open with POST for its review and 3% are awaiting agency findings. The division told the board that most closed cases fall within priority 3 and 4 categories — non‑sustained findings and retroactive matters that are often non‑actionable under statutory limits.

On outcomes, POST reported that about 95% of closed cases end with no further action; roughly 2% of closed cases resulted in disciplinary action by POST. The division said the most common reasons for no further action were that the conduct did not meet the statutory definition of serious misconduct, the matter was nonactionable because of dates of agency findings, or the division could not meet the clear-and-convincing evidentiary standard it applies.

POST compared its disciplinary actions to other California licensing boards and said its annual action rate — about 0.2% of its licensee population — is on par with the Medical Board of California and above the Board of Registered Nursing and State Bar when measured the way the division did.

The division gave a breakdown of the allegations that led to POST action: acts that violate the law, dishonesty and sexual assault were the top categories. It described immediate temporary suspensions (ITS) that often are based on arrest or indictment for a Government Code section 1029 crime (a statutory basis cited in the presentation), and said ITSs have led to a number of revocations and voluntary surrenders; in the ITS category POST reported 30 revocations, including 17 based on Government Code 1029 grounds and 13 default revocations.

The presentation also covered POST’s case-tracking through notices of intent, appeals and hearings. As of June 30, 2025, the division said it had mailed 56 notices of intent; 36 produced default decisions, 21 notices were appealed and 15 had been heard by the board and commission. The board has moved to revoke in 12 of those 15 hearing decisions; the commission has moved to revoke in 8 of 15.

Board members asked for additional breakdowns and clarifications: which agencies had not reported (POST identified the University of California San Francisco Police Department and the Department of Health Care Services as two moderately sized nonreporting agencies), how many officers remain employed while cases are open, and median response times (POST reported a median near 240 days for agency findings). Members asked POST to clarify outreach and training plans for both chiefs and line officers and to provide community-facing materials that explain what types of conduct qualify as serious misconduct under SB 2 and how to file public complaints.

POST staff said they have provided training with PORAC and at local forums and will continue outreach, and that the division is considering whether its general audit authority could be broadened to allow audits of agency reporting in the future.

The presentation concluded with an appendix and glossary of terms POST provided to the board for reference.

The division’s report, as presented to the board on July 16, is the authoritative source for the counts, timeframes and categorizations described above; board members requested additional detail in follow-up reporting and recommended continued outreach to communities and nonreporting agencies.","The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) accountability division told its advisory board that it has processed more than 37,000 agency misconduct reports through June 30, 2025, that agency supplemental reports average 241 days to arrive, and that only a small share of cases result in disciplinary action or decertification.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board recommends revocation of LAPD detective Luke Walden’s POST certification after POST alleges attempt to buy silencer and dishonesty

Board recommends revocation for Torrance officer Christopher Allen Young after racialized messages

Board recommends revocation of Torrance officer Brian Kawamoto’s POST certificate after text-message evidence

POST presents statewide data showing backlog, long agency response times and few decertifications