Two Riverside police officers are facing charges after viral video surfaced last month.
Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez announced Friday that the county district attorney has decided to file charges against officers for misdemeanor vandalism.
A department spokesperson said the following day the charges against the officer who observed the destruction had been changed to supporting the crime and being a misdemeanor.
The officer’s names have not been made public.
In a message posted to Facebook, Gonzalez admitted that the officer was caught in a video that damages a skateboard “seems to be intentional.”
“Let me be clear. This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the standards of the Riverside Police Department,” Gonzalez said in a message posted to Facebook. “We look forward to all executives supporting the integrity and professionalism that is worthy of our community.”
Gonzalez said an internal investigation is ongoing.
A video posted to YouTube in January depicted at least six police officers as they looked like a driveway or backyard in their home. Ryan Railsback, the department’s officer and spokesman, said officers arrived at the home to serve as administrative documents related to code enforcement. He said Riverside City staff asked the department to help with safety reasons.
As the officer smashes the surroundings, one officer wearing a hat grabs the skateboard.
“Do olive,” says someone who has over 550,000 views on the video.
Officers try to do skateboard tricks several times before stepping on. The other two officers will fly for a while.
When the officers leave, the two fall behind.
Grab a hammer on the table and walk to your skateboard. He steps in twice with his feet until he appears to be split into two.
The other officer appears to take a photo before both are out.
Gonzalez did not name the officers charged in his statement, but one said he had five years of service and the other had six years.
“Accountability is essential and I will continue to ensure that our executives meet the standards expected by our community,” he said.
According to Railsback, executives will continue to work while internal investigations move forward.
Once that is done, the police chief will take it along with all the recommendations and decide what to do, he said.
The day after the Jan. 21 incident, the homeowner filed a complaint with the police department, Railsback said. ABC 7 TV reported that it felt the skateboard owner was targeting Riverside police.
Railsback said there are issues with “public safety” and “quality of life” in the home that had affected their neighbors. He said the Riverside city’s law enforcement department was involved and sought assistance from the police department.
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