Lots and lots of things can go wrong during a standoff. They've got to be one of the most stressful things an officer in the line of duty can experience. You'd expect officers to let off some steam after the fact. But one officer was caught trying to do so during an active situation.
As reported by Dexerto, a California SWAT officer is under fire. This comes after a video has circulated online of him apparently swiping on a dating app during an armed standoff.
The situation was a pretty serious one, too. It happened in Jurupa Valley when a suspect led deputies on an hours-long start-and-stop chase. It climaxed with a crash near a high school, where the situation turned into an armed standoff.
Aerial footage was used during the standoff to help officers get information about what happened. But it unwittingly captured a SWAT officer scrolling on his phone. While we can't be sure exactly what dating app it is, it looks like it could be Tinder.
The clip went viral online. People weren't very happy with the whole debacle.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The Sheriff Responded to the SWAT Officer Incident in a Statement
But, expectedly, the Riverside County sheriff didn't find this very amusing. Chad Bianco directly condemned the moment in a statement.
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, his statement was very direct. "This behavior does not reflect the standards, expectations, or policies of our department. We have initiated an internal investigation and will take appropriate action based on the findings. The Sheriff's Office remains committed to professionalism and holding our employees accountable," the statement read.
Luckily, the armed standoff had no injuries other than the suspect. It ended after officers pulled his body from the car. It appeared that he had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot injury. Riverside County Fire Department paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
But things certainly could have gone worse. And the fact that the officer was apparently on his phone looking for a date is certainly not the best way to handle such serious and grave situations. In any case, we're glad no one else was hurt.
