LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A nine-year veteran of the Los Angeles police
force has been arrested and charged with allegedly stealing $800, 000 worth
of cocaine from the property room at police headquarters. Police say
31-year-old Officer Rafael Antonio Perez is accused of forging another
officer's name, serial number and assignment to check about six pounds of
cocaine out of an evidence locker at Parker Center on March 2.

Perez, a member of the department's anti-gang unit, was arrested at his
home this morning and charged with possession of cocaine for sale, grand
theft and forgery. He's being held on $550,000 bail and could face a
maximum of eight years and four months in state prison if convicted.

Police said they have not determined what happened to the cocaine after it
was taken out of the evidence locker. Investigators determined that the
cocaine was missing on March 27, and the department formed a task force to
investigate the disappearance. Police Chief Bernard Parks announced the
arrest. The chief said, ``It does tarnish the badge of the Los Angeles
Police Department and many of the 9,700 sworn officers and 3,500 civilian
employees that an individual would basically violate their code of ethics
and the trust that was given to them by the public and commit this kind of
act.''

Checked-by: Pat Dolan