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A Texas police officer has been fired after he was recorded on video threatening a teen and using profane language.
Disraeli Arnold, an officer in Hurst, Texas, was recorded in November running to assist an officer as he subdued a teenager, ultimately kneeing the teen in the back of the head while yelling and threatening him.
The teen's mother, Kelly Pope, didn't object to her son being arrested, just the force used to take the teen into custody.
"He [her son] knows that he handled it badly at first, that he should have been a little more cooperative. But, you know, the second officer -- there was no reason for it," Pope said in November. "He (Arnold) comes up at a jolting sprint, kneed him in the back of the head and, as you can see on the video, he says, 'If you move I'm going to [expletive] kill you.'"
While the teen was in custody and being escorted to a police car, Arnold then paraded in front of the teen's friend, who was recording the arrest, and said, "You got it on tape? Arnold, 654!"
Using the video as evidence, the teen's mother filed a complaint with the Hurst Police Department that led to an internal affairs investigation. The mother said she hoped the officer would either turn in his badge or be fired.
Dashcam video released several days later showed the teen, prior to Arnold arriving at the scene, arguing with Officer Miguel Jimenez and resisting arrest -- a offense for which he was charged.
On Thursday, Hurst police said Arnold was "indefinitely suspended for violations of Hurst Police Department General Orders and Civil Service rules relating to his actions on Nov. 20, 2012" and "an internal affairs investigation was conducted for violations ... to include the unnecessary use of force, being disrespectful to a citizen, and the use of indecent, profane, or harsh language in the performance of official duties."
Despite Pope's claim of excessive force, the internal affairs investigation determined the amount of force used by Arnold was reasonable since he believed Jimenez was struggling to subdue the teen.
The investigation did find, however, that Arnold was disrespectful to a citizen and "used indecent, profane, and harsh language in the performance of his official duties, and conducted himself in a manner which brought discredit to himself and the Hurst Police Department."
"You can't help but be embarrassed -- not only for the officers that work in our department, but for anybody in the law enforcement profession," Hurst Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp said in November. "You just expect when an officer shows up, they're going to be in charge. You don't want the foul language, anything that looks like it might be overreaction. You just want to be professional, calm and in control of the scene."
Prior to the department's latest ruling, Arnold had been placed on administrative leave.
Arnold had been with the department for four years and, according to a performance assessment and disciplinary file released by Hurst police after the incident, he met or exceeded police standards in nearly every assessment. The document also noted in May, 2010, that "Officer Arnold's enthusiasm may make him overzealous at times, which can cloud his judgment when it comes to policy, procedure and tactics. Sometimes he needs to step back and see the big picture and risks involved."
Arnold has 10 days to appeal the termination.
NBC 5's Scott Gordon contributed to this report.
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You know how that goes, he'll be hired at Dallas PD next week making better pay.
you can get fired for profanity if your a cop but a Senator can get a DUI and keep his job.madness.
This seems a bit extreme. You can't deny he should have not exploded verbally like he did but to fire him?!! How about a reprimand or disciplinary action? His actions were not worthy of being fired. Police officers have acted worse than this by truly causing harm to people or killing them and they have gotten away with it. This is insane. This parent finds satisfaction in the fact that the police officer was fired over actions her son initiated? Someone is not seeing straight. Let's place blame where blame belongs.
He fully deserved to be fired. If you wear a gun and cannot control yourself, you need to be OUT.
I totally disagree. If he had beat the kid up or used excessive force, he should have been fired.
But a white male cope can shoot/murder people and keep his job.....
Punk taught a lesson, the officer will win his appeal as in spite of what they videotaped it wasn't bad. Sometimes you have to use language that only the perpetrator understands and these kids now a days make what this cop said seem like a nursery rhyme. Just listen to their music. If the first arresting officer was on the ground fighting this vato, for several minutes, his life, (the arresting officer), was in danger and when you're backing up you brother officers, profanity and the adrenaline rule the day. Luck Arnold wasn't white or they would be making an issue about that as well.
I hope the next time it is YOUR child being savaged by a thug with a badge.
What is your badge number officer?
What is your inmate number?
Right Bob, explain away criminal behavior as an excuse to be allowed to behave any way you want because you are a teenager! The other two comments are incoherent.
when i'm in trouble i want this guy running to help me
shame on the dept more worried about the legal ramifications than having his back!
The true shame is a thug with a badge brutalizing a citizen
Yeah Bob, it's okay to resist arrest and fight. They did what was necessary to take this punk into custody.
Look at the comments posted and ask yourself where do police get a bad attitude? Seeing fellow officers get fired for basically using crude, blunt language to a legitimately arrested, resisting suspect turns good cops into the bad, sneaky cops the above posters are crying about. Every incident like this destroys police effectiveness. Does anyone think the kid has never heard R-rated language before? Those who are so quick to condemn are either 1-criminals themselves, or 2- clueless about what it's like to be in an actual violent or potentially violent situation.
Cry me a river. Next time I hope it's YOUR child being brutalized.
Thanks, Bob. I've taught my kids that you do NOT fight with, run from, or confrontationally challenge the police. If the cops are wrong, there are proper channels to deal with that. If my kids are dumb enough to do what that teen did, they can expect to get what he got (which was fairly minimal). I hope you get to experience (as I have) police who don't want to respond, arrive slowly, and don't want to do anything about anything because they are afraid of getting fired over nonsence like this. Firing this officer sent a huge message that if you want to keep your job, you better never do anything.
Bob, I hope you never need a cop for anything, that's all I can say.
Is it me or did Arnold have a 'gangsta' look as he approached the camera? (@ around the 1 minute mark) cocked head, attitude etc...very scary to think he is just like the jerks on the streets but with a badge - glad he is gone
What was this punk a Hispanic? Can't do that to a Obama voter. The dems need those Hispanic votes.
Just another thug with a badge.
Good riddance to a piece garbage wearing a gun
Got it, cops are bad, and the citizens are models of civic responsibility.
It seems that this type of behavior always happens in Texas?
Let's not foget the distingushed female officer fired for falsifying DUIs (possibly 1000s) in Utah. Another fine example of our police.
if the kid wasnt resisting arrest there would have been no problems .besides looks to me the other officer was still trying to cuff the puke head
Cry me a river. Next time I hope it's YOUR child being brutalized.
well, the police are the biggest baddest gang around so, why wouldn't he have a "gangsta look". I've ran into plenty that have that arrogance.
Are you KIDDING ME?! This officer got fired because this little brat was resisting arrest and the officer swore at him?! PaaaLEEEAASE! What in the hell is wrong with our society today? God forbid this little criminal's feelings get hurt! This officer DID NOT use excessive force just told the kid, "Go ahead...try to effing move again!" Wow...Shame on us for being too worried about some criminal's feelings rather then the safety of the our community. I vote to give this man his job back.
The mother of the victim sounds doped up so we can extrapolate that she is dysfunctional and further postulate that she created her dysfuntional son who has became a burden to society. Our first responders are in jeopardy every minute of their working day. They deal with nothing but dysfuntional members of society. The officers speach should be excused. They should be happy that the dysfuntional child didn't get a stick up his ass.
Yeah, they are in jeopardy alright....especially after they're stuffing those doughnuts down their gullets after roughing up another old lady who refused to sign a traffic ticket, while just outside the doughnut shop, some innocent woman is being raped, or carjacked, or worse!
Choking down big hunks of doughnuts is dangerous work, let me tell ya!!
But a white male cop shoots/murder people and keeps his job.....
Glad you felt you had to repeat that racist remark. I hope you never need a cop either.
What the hell is wrong with people. This was an officer coming to the aid of another officer who was trying to arrest someone while the subject was resisting arrest in a violent manner. So what if he used profane language.
Most of you people here are ridiculous. Anyone resisting gets what they deserve. I guarantee this punk that resisted will be in jail again some time in the near future for one crime or another. Resist and get a beating no problem for me because i will never be arrested. Only punks and criminals side against the cops here.
Just think about the other 100 times he did this without getting video taped.
Cops are out of control and it is the Judges' fault that continue to protect them.
There is a war being waged against citizens by cops at this time.
You can go to Badger Flats.com to see how far cops will go to cover up for other cops.
You liberal people live in a dream world. Someday a gang punk like this will comment a crime against you and there will be no officer there to protect you because he will be afraid he will lose his job. Typical liberal bull@!$%#.
Certainly not all Officers are on a power trip but I think we've all come across one that is, and THAT is with as armed public. Can you imagine how bad the abuses could get if we lose our 2nd amendment rights?
Are you KIDDING ME?! This officer got fired because this little brat was resisting arrest and the officer swore at him?! PaaaLEEEAASE! What in the hell is wrong with our society today? God forbid this little criminal's feelings get hurt! This officer DID NOT use excessive force just told the kid, "Go ahead...try to effing move again!" Wow...Shame on us for being too worried about some criminal's feelings rather then the safety of the our community. I vote to give this man his job back.
Do they think this is the first time this has ever happened? wake up these PIGS do this all of the time, this isnt the first time.
Over reach or excessive force by the police - any police force - should never be tolerated - at all.
Discharging the officer in question was the right call.