On August 9, 2025, LAPD Lt. Cherie Stelter told attorney Peter Bibring, who was representing detained journalists during a protest, that members of the press could not “just self-identify” as journalists and must provide credentials in order to be recognized as media. This directly violates LAPD’s stated media policy:
“The Department WILL recognize individuals who self-identify as media representatives and will NOT require specific media credentials. The inability to produce identification does not preclude an individual from acting as a member of the media.”
LAPD lieutenant Cherie Stelter violates LAPD’s press policy
