Supposed Off-Duty Cop With A Napolian Complex Harasses And Assaults A Purple-Heart Vet At A Protest Before Having Him Arrested

The Redding, (California) Police Department “News Release” states that “an off-duty RPD officer passing by identified himself as an off-duty sworn police officer and attempted to defuse the situation, instructing Valdez to leave the area”.

However, this video shows an entirely different story. Where is the off-duty officer’s de-escalation” or “attempts to defuse” the situation? All that is seen is harassment and escalation, as well as aggressive physical treatment from the off-duty officer dressed in brown plaid.

There was no identification as an officer until well into the video, and that was deficient under RPD policies, as the name is not clearly identifiable, and no official identification nor badge was displayed. There was NO request or order for Valdez to leave the area. When Valdez tried to walk away, the off-duty officer grabbed him and began shoving and manhandling him again. At no point did Valdez fight back. And yet, the off-duty officer lied in front of the on-duty officer and falsely claimed he had told Valdez to leave, and that he had refused. The video clearly shows otherwise.

The officer-duty officer also alleged that there was some exception to the public space free speech rights when swearing in front of women and children. However, that particular clause was removed from the law in the early 1970s, during the women’s rights movement. If the off-duty officer was really as upset by profanity and yelling in front of women and children as he claims, why did he yell profanities at Valdez, with small children clearly visible up in the uphill parking area nearby?