The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said it had initiated an internal investigation after CBS Los Angeles spotted a deputy on his phone, seemingly scrolling on a dating app, during a standoff Wednesday.
“This behavior does not reflect the standards, expectations, or policies of our department,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said. “We have initiated an internal investigation and will take appropriate action based on the findings. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to professionalism and holding our employees accountable.”
The incident occurred during a standoff with a grand theft suspect. Over an hour into a high-speed chase with the suspect, the sheriff’s department botched the deployment of a “grappler” net system intended to entangle the back wheels of the car to slow it down.
The suspect spun out of control and crashed into a wall in Jurupa Valley. Deputies then attempted to extract the suspect from the vehicle, including by breaking windows and tossing tear gas into the car.
During this standoff, CBS Los Angeles’ helicopter spotted a deputy just feet from the crashed car scrolling through what appeared to be a woman’s dating app profile. He seemingly swiped left multiple times to view other profiles.
The suspect ultimately died at the scene, likely from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
