A man was found dead inside a patrol car parked in front of the Azusa Police Department on Thursday.
Officers said they found the man's body in the back seat of the out-of-service vehicle early in the morning. Police Chief Rocky Wenrick said officers were unaware that the man entered the vehicle. He added that the man was not in the department's custody when he got into the patrol car.
"The vehicle was pending mandatory maintenance and was not in active use by department personnel at the time of discovery," Azusa PD wrote in a [Facebook post.](https://www.facebook.com/AzusaPD/posts/pfbid02B8dmkqPaent4no63ZcCtqma3FQfyFAbhf4AqEAfgt9Esnj2NyAiFEbuRNjaJwRQql)
Wenrick said that it is not uncommon for patrol cars that are out of service to be parked outside of the department for days, if not weeks, at a time.
"The vehicle had been left unlocked, and it should have been secured," Wenrick wrote.
The police chief said the department hired an outside firm to investigate the entire ordeal, which includes determining why the patrol was left unlocked.
"The Azusa Police Detective Bureau is conducting the initial criminal investigation," Wenrick wrote. "The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has responded and will determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of death."
Officers will also hand over all evidence, security camera footage and investigative reports to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
"There are multiple internal and external investigations underway," Wenrick wrote. "These investigations will take time, and the Azusa Police Department will release legally permissible information at the appropriate stage. This remains an active investigation; we ask for patience as investigators work diligently on the case."
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