Trial starts in police stalking, threats case

A trial began Tuesday for a Huntington Beach man accused of threatening and stalking a police detective.

Brian Dopler, 27, is charged with felony criminal threats and stalking of a Huntington Beach Police Department detective between Jan. 8 and Feb. 10 , according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges in March and faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison.

Dopler is accused of calling Det. Gary Kim 14 times and leaving phone messages to harass him in January and February. Dopler’s messages were full of swear words, and he allegedly told Kim that the detective was being followed.

In one message Feb. 10, Dopler threatened to kill Kim and any other police officers who followed him.

Kim began investigating a case against Dopler in May 2009 for stalking and violating a protective order of which he was charged and sentenced.

He is being held on $1-million bail.

— Britney Barnes