BULLETPROOF VEST COULDN'T SAVE OFFICER.

Byline: Dennis Anderson Associated Press 

A Hong Kong-born Pomona police officer who was reputed to be one of the department's experts on Asian gangs was shot to death despite wearing a bulletproof vest, authorities said Sunday.

Joseph Cesena, 18, of Pomona was being questioned in connection with the slaying of Officer Daniel Fraembs. Police said they found Cesena several hours after the shooting.

Cesena was being held at Men's Central Jail on a probation violation, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Robert Stoneman. However, detectives wouldn't say what the violation was.

``He hasn't been arrested for the shooting,'' he said. ``He hasn't been eliminated or ruled out, either.''

Deputy Benita Nichol, a Sheriff's Department spokeswoman, confirmed Fraembs was wearing protective armor when he was shot in the upper body, but said it wasn't clear why he was mortally wounded.

``It's possible the vest was not a factor,'' she said. ``I'm awaiting additional information from an autopsy I believe will take place later (Sunday) that will reveal why he was wearing the vest and was fatally wounded.''

Fraembs, 37, was shot early Saturday on a side street in an industrial area of Pomona, a suburb of 140,000 people about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The officer, who never got his gun out of his holster, was pronounced dead at the scene.`