North Texas Cop "Outstanding" … Until He Pulled Out the Pepper Spray
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - A Fort Worth police officer, taken off patrol after allegedly pepper-spraying passing motorcyclists, has an otherwise unblemished record in his eight years with the police department, personnel records show.
Documents filed with the city's Civil Service Commission paint a completely different picture of Officer William Figueroa than that of a now-viral video that captures him on Sunday seemingly discharging a can of pepper spray at the passing bikers along U.S. 287, near I-35 north.
Witnesses have told CBS11 the spraying appeared to be unprovoked.
Figueroa, a Fort Worth officer since 2009, is now on administrative duty as the Fort Worth Police Department conducts an internal investigation.
While the video has drawn the ire of some, including many of the bikers who were the apparent targets of the pepper spray, letters of commendation show that Figueroa, at least up until last Sunday, had been seen as a model police officer.
He was formally praised by the department in January 2015 for making an "impressive" 91 traffic stops, resulting in 130 citations.
"From these issued citations, not a single one resulted in a complaint against Officer Figueroa," the letter of commendation said.
The Fort Worth Police Department also complimented Figueroa in early 2011 for being among several officers who helped locate a stolen car and recover items taken in burglaries.
"As a result of your outstanding effort and initiative, multiple burglary cases were solved and a stolen vehicle from Dallas was recovered. You are hereby commended for your outstanding effort, initiative and teamwork," the FWPD told Figueroa.
In August 2010, his supervisors, including a deputy chief, told Figueroa they were "especially proud" of him for helping chase down several car burglars.
"No telling how many other BMVs (burglary of motor vehicles) were prevented," the commendation letter said, adding:
"Keep up the good work."
If you want to reach CBS 11′s Senior Investigative Producer Jack Douglas Jr., you can email him at jdouglas@cbs.com.
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