Less than a week after video of a confrontation involving an officer with the Desert Hot Springs Police Department went viral, KMIR reports the officer is no longer with the department.
“Because of POBAR and the Peace Officers Bill of Rights, I can’t really comment any further other than to say that he’s just no longer working with our agency,” Police Chief Dale Mondary said.
“I have literally been sick to my stomach since Saturday,” Mondary told the TV station. “And I was made aware of this long before it ever went viral, because we try to stay on top of things… so we were already involved in this long before.
The officer’s name has not been released. He is seen in the video standing extremely close to the suspect, repeating to the man, “Stop mad-dogging me!”
The suspect,who was identified by police as Joshua Felix, claims he is being harassed by the offficer.
“You haven’t seen harassment yet,” the officer tells Felix.
At one point, the suspect calls the officer a “retard,” which is followed by the officer placing the Felix in handcuffs.
Bully Cop Covers Camera. Make this go viral!
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Felix was later released at the scene. He told KESQ that prior to police arriving, a fight broke out and he acted in self-defense after a man hit him in the face with a beer bottle.
“Swung the bottle on my head right here which kinda cut me right here a little bit cuz the bottle shattered on my head it was a full bottle,” Felix explained to the television station. “That’s when he just walks right up to me and stands right in my face. I get irritated myself because I just got assaulted and now I’m getting yelled at by police.”
Since the video went viral, Mondary claims the officer’s life has been threatened.
“The officer even got death threats which is just completely uncalled for, but the support of the community knowing that we would do the right thing that means a lot to us and our reputation. We do have to continue to maintain that public trust.”
