CHP mini-scandal brewing

KFI News' Eric Leonard reports on his blog that at least two California Highway Patrol officers assigned to the Newhall station were placed off-duty during an internal investigation of allegations they received kickbacks to steer business toward a towing company. KFI began looking into the accusations last summer after hearing that the CHP was "examining the relationship between the officers and Preferred Towing." Lack of cooperation from the CHP and the officers stymied the reporting, but KFI used the California Public Records Act to obtain more than a thousand vehicle impound reports. Leonard's analysis showed the two officers and one other under investigation referred more business to Preferred than did other CHP officers, he says. Preferred denies any kickbacks were paid.