Texas officer fired for inappropriate touching of student www.privateofficer.com
Posted by privateofficernews on November 14, 2009
HARLINGEN TX Nov 14 2009 news5.com – A Harlingen police officer was fired after allegations he touched a 16-year-old girl inappropriately.CHANNEL 5 NEWS broke the story last week.
Harlingen Police Chief Danny Castillo fired Officer Jose Infante after a review hearing this week.The police chief believes Infante violated several department policies and procedures.
Civil Service Director Sheryl Reed gave CHANNEL 5 NEWS a copy of the chief’s report.
The chief says Infante worked as an on-premises security officer for the Lemoyne Gardens Housing Project in exchange for free housing.On September 16, the apartment managers asked Infante for help handling a tenant eviction.
The managers canceled their call for help.The chief writes, “Officer Infante advised he would still go by the apartment to check.”The police investigation revealed the officer went to an apartment and spoke to a 16-year-old girl who was home alone with a baby.He reportedly told her “he had to search the apartment for drugs.”She claims the search wasn’t real.
Then the teen says Infante told her he had to search her body.The chief writes, “She quickly became uncomfortable with the way he was touching her as he ran his hand down the side of her body. She said he asked her to pull her bra forward to make sure she didn’t have anything under her bra.
“He then started to conduct a search of her chest area and used the palms of his hands to press against her breasts, causing the exposure of her breasts. When he stopped, she moved away from Officer Infante. Officer Infante then asked if he could touch her breasts again.”
We learned Infante has the option to appeal to the Civil Service commission or to an independent third party.The police investigation also alleges Infante threatened to “take care” of the housing authority director “out in the streets” for terminating him.Infante hasn’t been arrested or criminally charged, but the chief writes he found cause for removal or suspension.The teen took a polygraph test and passed.
The chief writes, “Officer Infante had failed the polygraph examination and had been deceptive in his answers.”The police chief has refused to discuss details of the allegations or the officer’s firing.CHANNEL 5 NEWS will keep you updated on the investigation and let you know whether Infante files an appeal.
Harlingen Police Chief Danny Castillo fired Officer Jose Infante after a review hearing this week.The police chief believes Infante violated several department policies and procedures.
Civil Service Director Sheryl Reed gave CHANNEL 5 NEWS a copy of the chief’s report.
The chief says Infante worked as an on-premises security officer for the Lemoyne Gardens Housing Project in exchange for free housing.On September 16, the apartment managers asked Infante for help handling a tenant eviction.
The managers canceled their call for help.The chief writes, “Officer Infante advised he would still go by the apartment to check.”The police investigation revealed the officer went to an apartment and spoke to a 16-year-old girl who was home alone with a baby.He reportedly told her “he had to search the apartment for drugs.”She claims the search wasn’t real.
Then the teen says Infante told her he had to search her body.The chief writes, “She quickly became uncomfortable with the way he was touching her as he ran his hand down the side of her body. She said he asked her to pull her bra forward to make sure she didn’t have anything under her bra.
“He then started to conduct a search of her chest area and used the palms of his hands to press against her breasts, causing the exposure of her breasts. When he stopped, she moved away from Officer Infante. Officer Infante then asked if he could touch her breasts again.”
We learned Infante has the option to appeal to the Civil Service commission or to an independent third party.The police investigation also alleges Infante threatened to “take care” of the housing authority director “out in the streets” for terminating him.Infante hasn’t been arrested or criminally charged, but the chief writes he found cause for removal or suspension.The teen took a polygraph test and passed.
The chief writes, “Officer Infante had failed the polygraph examination and had been deceptive in his answers.”The police chief has refused to discuss details of the allegations or the officer’s firing.CHANNEL 5 NEWS will keep you updated on the investigation and let you know whether Infante files an appeal.
