New Mexico State Police Officer Fired After Caught Having Sex on Car
SANTE FE, N.M. – A New Mexico state police officer has been fired after security cameras caught him having sex with a woman on the hood of a car.
Officer Bert Lopez's dismissal from the New Mexico state police was confirmed by The Santa Fe New Mexican on Saturday. The newspaper said Lopez has 30 days to appeal the firing.
The surveillance photos were taken from a motion-triggered security camera positioned at the front gate of the county-owned La Bajada Ranch south of Santa Fe. The encounter was at the remote Canyon Ranch.
Two photos showing a uniformed officer having sex on the hood were forwarded to Santa Fe Sheriff Robert Garcia, who identified the officer as being with New Mexico State Police. He forwarded the images to State Police Chief Robert Shilling.
An internal investigation was immediately launched, and Lopez, an eight-year veteran, was put on paid administrative leave for about three weeks.
Police officials would not comment on whether the dismissal was an indication whether the officer was on duty at the time of the incident.
The dismissal came days after investigators said the officer didn't commit a crime. Officials were assured the sexual encounter was not in exchange for anything related to his position as a law enforcement officer.
"It is an embarrassing situation for the department, but we have to remember the rights of the employee afford him due process we must follow so we won't be commenting further," said spokesman Sgt. Tim Johnson.
The department refused to release the identity of the woman or details about her relationship with the officer. It was unclear when the photos were taken, but Garcia said he believed it was either late July or early August.
If Lopez contests his firing, the appeal goes to a special commission within the New Mexico state police department and then state District Court, according to the New Mexican.
Lopez was named a 2009 state police office of the year and was awarded a "Challenge Coin" in July, an honor given to officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/03/new…
Officer Bert Lopez's dismissal from the New Mexico state police was confirmed by The Santa Fe New Mexican on Saturday. The newspaper said Lopez has 30 days to appeal the firing.
The surveillance photos were taken from a motion-triggered security camera positioned at the front gate of the county-owned La Bajada Ranch south of Santa Fe. The encounter was at the remote Canyon Ranch.
Two photos showing a uniformed officer having sex on the hood were forwarded to Santa Fe Sheriff Robert Garcia, who identified the officer as being with New Mexico State Police. He forwarded the images to State Police Chief Robert Shilling.
An internal investigation was immediately launched, and Lopez, an eight-year veteran, was put on paid administrative leave for about three weeks.
Police officials would not comment on whether the dismissal was an indication whether the officer was on duty at the time of the incident.
The dismissal came days after investigators said the officer didn't commit a crime. Officials were assured the sexual encounter was not in exchange for anything related to his position as a law enforcement officer.
"It is an embarrassing situation for the department, but we have to remember the rights of the employee afford him due process we must follow so we won't be commenting further," said spokesman Sgt. Tim Johnson.
The department refused to release the identity of the woman or details about her relationship with the officer. It was unclear when the photos were taken, but Garcia said he believed it was either late July or early August.
If Lopez contests his firing, the appeal goes to a special commission within the New Mexico state police department and then state District Court, according to the New Mexican.
Lopez was named a 2009 state police office of the year and was awarded a "Challenge Coin" in July, an honor given to officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/03/new…
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It appears he's been doing that regularly.
Wearing a uniform, you are highly visible, and much is expected of you. Even off duty, on the way home, you can find yourself, working an accident, stopping a crime in progress, or backing up a public agency in a unseen situation. Policve cars and Officers don't have an off duty sign (like a cab or city bus), so the public perception is that you are representing the community unless the car is parked and the uniform is off-and even then, don't wave your badge somewhere expecting carte blanche because it may backfire on you.
So he had sex? Was she unwilling, or bribing him? If so, prosecute him for that. Otherwise, shut the fuck up and leave him alone. At *worst* this is a slight lapse in judgement that warrants a "hey, get a room next time" warning. Especially if he's never done anything like it before.
Wait, it gets better, and this isn't a hypothetical. Your house is on fire and you find out that the fire department response was delayed because the firefighters on duty had some female action going on, and they had to "disengage" to respond to the fire (happened once in the 1970's and again in the 80's).
There is a time and place for everything. I don't want the government in my bedroom or minding my business, but if a govt. employee is on duty, or is under color of uniform, they need to rein it in until they are off duty and out of sight. I don't know your vocation, but suppose you walk in your place of business and the security guard on duty is banging some chick ? You would not believe the number of security personnel fired for doing just that. Yeah, it happens, and sometimes it's on video.
You're the CEO or branch manager and the guard that your company is being billed 25.00 per hour (although the guard makes 10.00) is spending his on duty time being inattentive because he's getting laid.
What about, you work in the high rise and you catch your boss banging the new receptionist in the conference room (tell me that doesn't happen), or the hotel you stay at screws up your bill, but when you came past the desk, the night auditor might've been a little busy (cutie hanging out at or near the desk).
Like I said, time and place for everything.
It's the puritanical thing I mentioned before. The fact that you think it "tarnishes" the uniform indicates that even *you* think there's something wrong with sex, without even questioning it?
Sex off duty, whether in uniform or not, is no more immoral or improper than the baseball card example, and trading baseball cards on duty is *just* as inappropriate as sex on duty. It's a distraction on a job that requires attention.
Am I next?
Where is my partner?
LMAO
Many people here on this site can't tell people at their work about their SC hobby because of how it is perceived. While that may be wrong, it is how our society is at this point.
The main fault I have with this guy is he didn't find somewhere more discreet. If there was a camera in the area, it had to be a relatively high traffic area. He's got to be smarter than that.