A current officer with the Los Angeles Police Department was arrested Wednesday for allegedly having child sexual abuse material in his possession, officials said.
James Diamond, 52, was taken into custody Wednesday morning outside a business on the 5000 block of Bolsa Avenue in Huntington Beach, according to a new release from the Long Beach Police Department.
Search warrants were then served at Diamond’s home in Long Beach and at his place of employment in Los Angeles, officials said.
In October 2020, detectives with the LBPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, regarding possible online distribution or sharing of child sexual abuse material.
During the investigation, detectives say they were able to identity Diamond as the suspect and developed probable cause for an arrest.
Diamond was booked on suspicion of two felony counts of possession of child pornography and two felony counts of distribution of obscene matter depicting a minor.
LAPD’s Professional Standards Bureau was notified of his arrest and the department said it would be conducting an administrative investigation. A department spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that Diamond had his police powers suspended.
Diamond, a 25-year veteran of the LAPD, was being held on $100,000 bail but was released on bail later Wednesday, county booking records show.
Anyone with any information regarding the investigation is asked to contact LBPD detectives Julie Lacey or Laurie Barajas at 562-570-7223. Anonymous tips may be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 800-222-8477 or by visiting www.LACrimeStoppers.org.
