Video Shows Texas Police Officer Berating Teen

Nov. 27, 2012
A Hurst police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a video was posted on the Internet showing the officer being verbally abusive during a teenager's recent arrest.

HURST, Texas -- A Hurst police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a video was posted on the Internet showing the officer being verbally -- and possibly physically -- abusive during a teenager's recent arrest.

The department is conducting an internal investigation of the Nov. 20 incident involving officer Disraeli Arnold and a 17-year-old suspect whom another officer was trying to arrest, police officials said Monday.

Monday evening, officials released copies of Arnold's personnel records. The documents describe a four-year veteran of the department who has consistently been called a "team player" by fellow officers and firefighters, although he frequently has been late for work and sometimes "overzealous."

Arnold met with Police Chief Steve Moore on Monday and was told that he had been placed on leave, Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp said.

"We just want everyone to know we do not condone this behavior and we have started our internal affairs investigation," Niekamp said during a news conference Monday morning at Hurst City Hall.

Niekamp said he was troubled by some of what he saw on the video.

"When something like this happens, you can't help but be embarrassed not only for the officers in our department but anybody in the law enforcement profession," Niekamp said.

Of the videotaped incident, Niekamp said the department does not approve of using foul language or acting unprofessionally during an arrest.

Niekamp said, however, that the arrest was justified and that the other patrol officer on the scene, Miguel Jimenez, has not been placed on leave.

The incident occurred about 3:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at 399 Tanglewood Drive in the parking lot of Bellaire Park. It began when Jimenez saw some teenagers standing in the parking lot. Niekamp said one of the teens yelled something at Jimenez, and he went over to talk to them. After they provided their names, the officer ran background checks and found that Andrew Rodriguez, 17, had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear.

As Jimenez tried to arrest Rodriguez, the latter kept walking away and eventually shoved the officer, Niekamp said. That was when Jimenez took Rodriguez to the ground. Niekamp said the video started after the shove.

A Hurst police dispatcher, Kasha Sterling, was on a ride-along with Jimenez and radioed for backup, Niekamp said.

In the video, the officer can be seen struggling to take Rodriguez into custody. At one point, Rodriguez tells the officer he can't breathe.

Officer Arnold runs into the park and hits Rodriguez with his knee and begins yelling, "Move and die! Move and [expletive] die! [Expletive] move again!"

He is also heard saying: "Sit down and shut the [expletive] up! Don't say nothing else!"

Later, Arnold tells Rodriguez: "Move so I can kick your [expletive]! Move so I can [expletive] you up! Shut up! Move! Stupid [expletive]. When the police are talking to you, you sit down . . . This ain't no game!"

Rodriguez's friend, Jordan Rojas, who recorded the incident on his cellphone, told Channel 11 he was stunned by the officer's behavior

"I saw him dive on him and land his knee on the back of his neck and on the video you see Andrew's head bop against the floor," Rojas told the TV station. "It kind of shocked me."

Rojas was arrested for being a minor in possession of tobacco and also having drug paraphernalia. In addition to the outstanding warrant, Rodriguez was charged with resisting arrest.

Rodriguez's mother, Kelly Pope, told KDFW/Channel 4 that she had no problem with officer Jimenez's actions but believed Arnold needed to be fired.

Pope was scheduled to meet with the chief Monday regarding the incident, Niekamp said.

Arnold's personnel file includes a thank-you letter from a Colleyville couple for helping to recover their stolen vehicle in 2008.

"Officer Arnold's alertness and attention allowed him to not only recover our stolen vehicle, but apprehend the scumbag that took it from our garage," the couple wrote.

In January 2010, Hurst fire Lt. Kirk Caldwell wrote a letter commending Arnold for helping firefighters respond to a heart attack patient, and for staying behind to help clean up.

"Not that this is unusual for PD to assist," Caldwell wrote, "but it was noticed by several at the scene how involved he wanted to be."

In one of his earlier performance evaluations, a supervisor noted on May 30, 2010, that "Officer Arnold's enthusiasm may make him overzealous at times, which can cloud his judgment when it comes to police, procedure and tactics. Sometimes he needs to step back and see the big picture to weigh the risks involved."

Also in 2010, a supervisor wrote that the officer "always displays the utmost courtesy and professionalism to his superiors (including me) as well as his coworkers. In summary, he is a gentleman."

In his latest review, July 30, 2012, a supervisor said "teamwork" was his strongest point.

"He displays an attitude of service to both his teammates and the citizens he meets during his daily activities," the supervisor said.

Tardiness, however, has been a problem for the officer going back to his earliest days on the force.

"I sincerely hope Officer Arnold realizes the importance of being punctual when reporting for duty, instead of minimizing its impact on his work group," the supervisor wrote.

Copyright 2012 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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