A former Los Angeles police officer has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping for ransom and is being investigated in connection with other alleged crimes in San Fernando Valley neighborhoods that he used to patrol, according to department sources and jail records.<\/p>\n
Eric Halem, 37, was arrested Thursday afternoon by members of the LAPD\u2019s Robbery-Homicide Division and is being held without bail, according to online jail records and the LAPD. <\/p>\n
If the L.A. district attorney\u2019s office files charges, he is set to be arraigned on Monday. Attempts to reach an attorney for him were unsuccessful on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Details about the alleged kidnapping are murky, but several department sources \u2014 who requested anonymity to discuss the open case \u2014 said Halem is also being investigated in connection with home invasions that occurred in the West Valley Division, where he worked until several years ago. <\/p>\n
After his arrest, LAPD investigators obtained warrants for the search of his home and recovery of several firearms he owned, the sources said. <\/p>\n
In an unattributed statement sent Friday afternoon in response to questions from The Times, the LAPD confirmed Halem\u2019s arrest but said it was \u201cnot related to the Departments investigation into residential burglaries in the west valley.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThis matter remains under investigation, and we will not be providing further details at this time,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The West Valley includes Encino, an affluent area that has been on edge following a series of home break-ins, including one that caused the deaths of \u201cAmerican Idol\u201d music supervisor Robin Kaye and her rock musician husband, Tom DeLuca. That case rekindled concerns about safety<\/a> in the area and led the LAPD to step up patrols. A suspect with a history of mental illness has been charged with the couple\u2019s murders.<\/p>\n Halem opted to join the department\u2019s reserve officer program in 2022, where he remained until this March, after he was charged with insurance fraud in February.<\/p>\n During his LAPD career, he made a name for himself with side businesses as a security consultant and by renting out luxury cars to music artists and celebrities.<\/p>\n In 2019, he was hired to provide security for Randall Emmett, an action movie producer. Emmett was the subject of a 2022 Times investigation <\/a>and subsequent Hulu documentary that surfaced allegations of abuse against women and assistants as well as mistreatment of assistants and business partners. Emmett has denied the allegations.<\/p>\n Around the same time, Halem landed small roles in TV shows like \u201cVanderpump Rules\u201d and \u201cMidnight in the Switchgrass.\u201d<\/p>\n