Los Angeles police officers bought and sold guns from the police armory for profit, and told the lieutenant in charge of the armory to “watch his back” after he reported it, the 25-year LAPD veteran in court.

Armando Perez sued the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department in Superior Court.

Perez, who joined the LAPD in 1987, claims he was retaliated against, suspended and threatened after he discovered, through his job as “Officer in Charge of the Armory,” that officers in the Metropolitan Division were buying and reselling guns to other officers, civilians and gun dealers.

“In or around May 2010, plaintiff initiated a detailed audit of Metro’s inventory of firearms,” the complaint states. “While performing the weapons audit, plaintiff learned that both officers within the unit and civilians were purchasing special LAPD SWAT-stamped Kimber firearms intended for official use. Plaintiff also discovered that the officers within the unit were possibly reselling these Kimber firearms for large profits to people outside of Metro SWAT – to LAPD officers of various ranks, including captains, plaintiff’s own commanding officer, Captain John Incontro (hereinafter, ‘Incontro’), and to non-LAPD civilian personnel. Plaintiff also discovered that the officers, unbeknownst to Kimber (the manufacturer), were allowing Cinema Weaponry to purchase these pistols at discounted price, and were allowing Lucas Ranch Gun Sales to facilitate the transfer of the pistols from Kimber to the officers. Plaintiff also discovered records indicating that Officer James Quinlan (hereinafter ‘Quinlan’) and other officers were facilitating the sales of the Kimber firearms to these other non-Metro LAPD officers, non-LAPD civilians, and gun dealers.”

None of the officers are named as defendants. The only defendants are the city, the LAPD, and “Does 1 through 100.”

Kimber Manufacturing, a New York company that originated over 30 years ago in Oregon, makes highly regarded pistols.

Click here for the full story.