Second officer arrested after being triggered by Black Lives Matter flag outside stranger's home

[634-5789]

A police officer has been arrested in Oregon in connection with an incident last year during which another officer allegedly vandalized a home displaying a Black Lives Matter flag. The arrest Thursday follows a grand jury indictment in which Officer Bradley Schuetz was charged with first-degree official misconduct for refusing to arrest Officer Steven Teets, who had vandalized the home, the Associated Press reported.

Teets was off duty when he allegedly saw a Black Lives Matter flag hanging outside of a residence. Feeling triggered, he then walked up the home’s driveway, set off the resident’s car alarm, and punched the flag and the metal garage door behind it before proceeding to aggressively bang on and kick the family’s front door, investigators said. The homeowner immediately called the police. The responding officer recognized Teets. Instead of supporting this officer and placing Teets under arrest, as the procedure would be with any other civilian, Schuetz reportedly then arrived at the scene and drove Teets home.

While Teets was off duty at the time of the incident, Schuetz was not. Beaverton police Sgt. Kevin MacDonald said by failing to arrest Teets, Schuetz “prevented the investigation from happening.” As a result of the incident that “terrorized” a family, Teets was later charged with second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree disorderly conduct. Forest Grove police officials then asked the Beaverton Police Department to investigate Schuetz’s involvement in November.

While Teets was placed on administrative desk duty during investigations, Schuetz is currently on paid administrative leave—despite being indicted on criminal charges, according to Forest Grove Police officials. The investigations continue per a lawsuit filed by Mirella Castaneda, one of the home’s residents, who believes that her house was targeted “because of her personal and political beliefs.” When reached for a comment regarding the arrests, Castaneda noted that the arrest itself does not solve the issue at hand.

“I’m glad that people are finally asking the questions that need to be asked,” Castaneda told the Portland Tribune. “Hopefully this means that people care enough to know how their law enforcement departments are actually conducting business, and making sure that they’re doing it the right way.”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/5/10/2029810/-Two-cops-face-criminal-charges-for-vandalizing-home-that-displayed-Black-Lives-Matter-flag

[70sEraVet]

1. Bravo to the Castaneda family who were brave enough to keep pushing

I'm only brave enough to cheer them on behind a made up name on DU.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. "Schuetz is currently on paid administrative leave--despite being indicted on criminal charges"

[Aristus]

3. He "felt triggered".

I guess that's the excuse for non-lethal police misconduct, kind of the way "I feared for my life!" is supposed to justify a cowardly cop blowing fifteen holes into an innocent unarmed person who is running away.

[sarchasm]

9. Must be some of that 'Foxitis' that's going around...

Not sure what kind of vaccine they have for that ...prosecution? ...termination?

[marble falls]

25. Triggered? Wait till he gets the bill from his attorney.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. The little cockroaches are scurrying now that some light is shed on the subject

There’s now way management didn’t know about that incident when it happened. They probably had a good laugh about it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. pretty sure training and more funds for equipment would help

[SunSeeker]

6. Good one.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. Yes, police should be given surplus A-10 Warthogs.

The Gatling gun is a fine way to respond to emotional triggers, to anyone who disses the cop's racism.

[uponit7771]

14. +1, ... and most of them in some PDs would agree with you.

[mackdaddy]

7. So these government Officials (cops) wanted to cancel the free speech rights of this family..

to to show their support for non-violence against unarmed black people?

And were willing to use violence to accomplish this...

[BobTheSubgenius]

10. I'm a little confused.

Which part of this was "serving" and which part "protecting?"

[geardaddy]

13. I don't know about serving

but the one officer was protecting the other.

[BobTheSubgenius]

16. You're totally correct!

I don't know why that didn't occur to me. I was focused on what the lunatic put that family through.

[uponit7771]

11. "with an incident last year " The wheels of justice turn extra extra damn slow for most police

[niyad]

12. Why in the F'n HELL is terrorizing in quotes????

[geardaddy]

15. That was my thought, too.

[Mariana]

19. It may be that Sgt. MacDonald used that word, and the writer was quoting him.

It's not clear at all, though.

[Roc2020]

17. feeling triggered?

pun intended right? maybe if he would have seen the homeowner his 'triggered' may have resulted in murder.

[Joe Nation]

18. So, who was the "good apple" here?

I must have missed that part.

[llashram]

20. yeah

he felt his racism "triggered" and had to act on it. Police, fire, military in America are really looking for a fight. Especially trump "triggered", GQP "triggered" police.... May they all choke on their hateful bile of racism storm coming in this country...

[Steven Maurer]

21. As I said elsewhere, if this can happen in "liberal" Oregon...

...just imagine how bad it is in the rest of the country.

[NQAS]

22. What's with all the damn paid leave?

Should be:

Unpaid leave pending investigation. No badge, no gun. Surrender all personal firearms during this period. Fixed amount of time for this to be done, say, 4 weeks.

Investigation to be done by either state police or state attorney general’s office.

If charged with any crime, immediate termination, regardless of outcome of any trial.

Name and record submitted to national database. Oh, that’s right. There is no national database. There should be.

[Evolve Dammit]

23. Cops like this are just proving how racist and fascist they are. Lock them up.

[PurgedVoter]

24. By acting in this manner, these officers proved the entire point.

This, by itself shows why Black Lives Matter.

I understand why they are so offended. Statements that imply that compassion is a good thing goes counter to all their beliefs. Always remember that "bleeding heart liberal" implies that one should hate people who care about their fellow man.