LA Mayor Says Investigation Was Launched Before 2 LAX Police Officials Quit

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said before two L.A. Airport Police officials resigned Monday that an investigation into alleged corruption was launched.

"We launched investigations internally. Not all of which I can speak to you right now to make sure that any sort of behavior like this was rooted out and disciplined and appropriate action was taken," the mayor told CBS2/KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo Tuesday.

But Garcetti would not say if that investigation will lead to more actions.

Brian Walker stepped down Monday from his assistant police chief position.

An internal affairs lieutenant who was part of the investigation also quit.

Since June, six former and active LAX police officers have come forward, accusing Walker of cronyism and rule-bending.

We reported in June that Walker pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor tax fraud count, which carries a penalty of up to a year in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 26

According to federal prosecutors, Walker did not report income from his work with At Close Range Inc., a Torrance security company partly owned by former port police chief Ron Boyd.

The officers Fajardo spoke to claimed the problems don't end with two resignations.

They detailed how some higher-ups in the department have bent the rules, even broken the law, and kept their jobs.

The officers said they blew the whistle hoping for change. Some are now calling on the Los Angeles Police Commission's inspector general to investigate - something the mayor said would not be appropriate.

"The inspector general, which is part of the Los Angeles Police Department, is a separate department. So, it wouldn't be proper to have them there," Garcetti explained.

But state lawmakers must have thought it was proper in 2013 when they passed AB 128.

A news release on the airport's own website shows the mayor himself backed the bill, which allows the inspector general to be brought in to investigate and audit the airport police.

But that decision is not up the mayor or city leaders. Instead, that authority rests with the airport commission, which has not asked so far.

Fajardo reached out to Airport Police Chief David Maggard for comment. But she was told he was not available for an interview.