An internal investigation ended with a five-day suspension of the Vancouver police officer who pulled down a shoplifting suspect’s pants and threatened to jolt his genitals last year.
Officer Andrea Mendoza was suspended for five days for violating the department’s use of force policies and required to undergo counseling sessions and training for discourteous conduct, The Columbian reported Monday.
Mendoza was acquitted of fourth-degree assault by a Clark County jury in April, but internal investigators determined the officer had broken Taser use protocols and turned the device into “pain compliance-only device” by pressing the shock gun to the suspect’s crotch for 24 seconds, according to the newspaper.
Mendoza and Officer Gabriel Patterson were responding to a routine shoplifting call-out about 10 p.m. May 21, 2023, at a Walmart next to Interstate 205 when they spotted the shoplifting suspect, Elijah Guffey-Prejean, and another woman who ran from the cops.
Body-camera footage showed Guffey-Prejean struggling with Patterson and falling to the ground. Then Mendoza Tased the suspect in the back, pulled down his pants and threatened to use the stun gun on his crotch.
Patterson was cleared by internal affairs investigators, who determined he was disoriented during the attack and didn’t know Mendoza was violating policy, according to The Columbian.
In a statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Police Chief Jeff Mori said the investigation had reached a proper conclusion.
“Given the totality of the circumstances, including the findings of the jury and the findings based on the internal investigation, I agree with the decision maker in the internal investigation and the discipline issued was appropriate,” he said.
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