Los Angeles police officials are looking to fire a high-ranking captain after an internal investigation determined he failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a civilian employee and then lied about it to internal affairs detectives, according to three police sources. department.
The captain, Alejandro “Alex” Vargas, was summoned earlier this week to Deputy Chief Daniel Randolph's office and told he would be assigned home, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss a confidential department personnel matter.
Vargas most recently served as senior captain of the Van Nuys Division. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Under city charter, officers whose conduct is considered a fireable offense must appear before a board of rights hearing, a military-style court where witnesses testify and evidence is presented, usually behind closed doors.
The former 911 operator with whom she had a romantic relationship has already been fired because as a civilian she can be fired outright, according to department sources, although the woman can still file an appeal to regain her position.
Vargas first became the subject of an internal investigation after department officials learned of his relationship with the former dispatcher, which appeared to be consensual. But Vargas allegedly lied to internal affairs and tried to dissuade a witness from cooperating with the investigation, according to one of the sources familiar with the allegations.
Vargas was accused of kissing the civilian employee while on duty and failing to report their relationship to a superior officer, as required by department rules.
Internal investigators reportedly monitored Vargas by pinging his city-owned cell phone and through physical surveillance. Vargas himself had been in charge of the shadowy internal affairs unit responsible for surreptitiously following agents accused of misconduct.
When contacted for comment this week, the department said through a spokesperson that it does not discuss staff complaints.
The case is one of several in recent years involving high-ranking male Los Angeles Police Department officers involved in relationship scandals. Former Deputy Chief Alfred “Al” Labrada was demoted and recommended for dismissal last year after he was investigated by police for allegedly using a tracking device to monitor the movements of a female officer with whom he was romantically involved. .
Labrada, once considered a possible candidate to be the next chief, has denied the allegations and is suing the city of Los Angeles, accusing former Chief Michel Moore of outing him publicly because Moore felt threatened by him. Officer Dawn Silva, who filed a police report, also has a legal claim alleging that department leaders failed to protect her from social media backlash.
San Bernardino County prosecutors declined to file charges against Labrada, writing that there is “no evidence” that he was “actively following” Silva.
Labrada's board of rights hearing is scheduled for next month after being postponed at least once.
After LAPD leadership became aware of Vargas' relationship with the dispatcher, sources familiar with his case said, he was quietly transferred from his previous position overseeing the department's communications arm to Van Nuys. He was transferred around the same time as another commander who was also under suspicion of violating a policy against sexual relations with lower-ranking officers, sources said. The other male commander has since left the force.
Sources said Vargas, who has been with the department for more than 30 years, could choose to retire rather than face a rights board.
