SWAT officer slammed by Sheriff for swiping on dating app during armed stand off

A California sheriff publicly reprimanded one of his deputies after a video circulated online showing the officer seemingly using a dating app while involved in a tense standoff with a SWAT team.

On April 8th in Jurupa Valley, a police chase ended with a crash near a high school. The suspect then refused to give up, leading to a several-hour standoff with SWAT teams surrounding their vehicle.

Video from the scene showed a deputy using what looked like a dating app on his phone while positioned behind an armored vehicle during an active operation. The footage quickly went viral and sparked criticism of the deputy’s behavior during a potentially dangerous situation.

Sheriff calls behavior a “slap in the face” to SWAT team

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco strongly criticized the incident, expressing shock, embarrassment, and anger after viewing the video.

Bianco explained that the deputy’s actions were deeply disrespectful to the entire SWAT team and didn’t meet the department’s expectations during a crucial situation.

He confirmed the officer involved has been identified, and the department is now conducting an internal review to determine what happened and hold anyone responsible accountable.

Even though the incident quickly spread online, authorities emphasized that the situation was still risky. Deputies tried various methods to convince the suspect to give up, using things like non-lethal weapons and robots. At the same time, an officer was using a dating app.

The incident concluded with the suspect found deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The sheriff’s office hasn’t said if anyone will be disciplined, but Sheriff Bianco stated the video doesn’t show how SWAT teams should normally operate.

Read More

2026-04-16 22:19