LA DA reduces Flores eavesdropping charges

United States — Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman reduced 16 felony eavesdropping charges against LAPD Officer Daniel Flores to misdemeanors on August 19, 2026. Flores had secretly recorded colleagues making racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks in the LAPD recruitment division and reported them to internal affairs in early 2025. The initial felony charges, filed in July, drew backlash from Mayor Karen Bass, City Council member Hugo Soto-Martínez, and others who feared a chilling effect on whistleblowers. Under the reduced charges, Flores can enter a diversion agreement and avoid jail time if he complies with conditions for a year. Hochman maintained that Flores violated United States — California's two-party consent law but acknowledged the original charges 'sent the wrong message.' The officers who made the offensive comments face internal disciplinary proceedings but no criminal charges, as Hochman said there was insufficient evidence of a hate crime.