A police officer in Palo Alto, California forced into retirement over harassment of a gay man will collect a $118,600-per-month pension as part of his departure.
Sgt. Wayne Benitez left the Palo Alto Police Department at the end of September as part of a civil rights lawsuit filed earlier this year. In it, Gustavo Alvarez, a gay man, alleges that Benitez and five other cops used excessive force on him during an arrest in 2018. Officers had gone to Alvarez’s home after he refused to be detained for allegedly driving with a suspended license. Alvarez claims the six officers pulled him from his home and slammed him up against the hood of his car knocking out several of his teeth. He also claims the officers taunted him for being gay. Police booked Alvarez for a DUI and resisting arrest, though those charges were later dropped.
Related: Police deny man died while performing oral sex on a cucumber
“Obviously the police department and the city of Palo Alto thus far have failed to step up and condemn the actions of these officers,” Alvarez’s attorney, Cody Salfen, told reporters. “To think that taxpayers are still rewarding (Benitez) is incomprehensible at this point in time and history. It’s disgusting and symptomatic of a department that tolerates its employees breaking the law.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Footage of the incident, filmed inside Alvarez’s home, has prompted public outcry over the incident. The Benitez case is just the latest in a series of lawsuits against the Palo Alto Police Dept. In 2016, the department reached a settlement with a man who alleged officers broke his arm during a traffic stop. In 2011, the department also paid $35,000 to a gardner who alleged that officers tased him during an unlawful arrest.
Bob LaBlah
It seems odd the “beginning” of this incident was when they dragged him out of the house. I hear them ordering him to come out but it isn’t clear how many times they ordered him out of the house. The incident is taking place inside of a home garage which has me believing he drove into the garage and jumped out and ran into the house leaving his passenger in the car (why else would the person be in the car during all of this?). What did he have to hide? You got what you asked for. When an officer ORDERS you to do something they are not asking whether or not its ok with you. They had probable cause to suspect he was hiding/lying and acted accordingly. I stand with the officers on this one. And by the way, I doubt the officer is getting that much per month. Per year, maybe. But per month is a bit of a stretch.
Roan
You’re a moron, Bob. He wasn’t a danger to anyone and did not deserve to be assaulted and injured by out of control cops acting like animals. Take your daddy issues somewhere else.
Vince
I agree Bob. This could’ve all been avoided if he had just complied with the Police. It always seems to come from the same type of idiots.
Bob LaBlah
Roan, didn’t you ask yourself at least once why does the video begin when the officers are using force to get him out of the house to see if he is impaired after he ran in? Doesn’t something sound not quite right about that?
Roan
Nah, I just see out of control LEOS assaulting someone for no valid reason and roid rage cop apologists defending them.
DarkZephyr
Vince, what does that have to do with the use of homophobia? Please explain.
Smith David
As an African-American man I….
RevJames
I hear ya bother.
1finn
Hopefully that is a mistake, that the officer, is getting $118,600 pension a MONTH !!!
Doug
It’s yearly, not monthly.
JaredMacBride
Don’t take the “facts” reported here too seriously.
Doug
Sick and tired of watching cops pull this crap. They should have gotten rid of all of them. Benitez should have spent some time in jail for assault.
rustyiam
This story is pretty sketchy on details so for that reason I am siding with the cops, the writer obviously has an agenda , otherwise they would have told us all of the facts!
DarkZephyr
@rustyiam What additional details do you need after hearing them laugh about the fact that he’s gay and that this explains the arrest? Are you saying that homophobia is OK under certain circumstances?
nm4047
that’s a damn good yearly pension, where’s the recruitment office to become a cop in California. I’m thinking that’s more than they would earn a year employed as a cop.
Vince
For a job that you don’t even have to have a degree for it’s damn good.
JessPH
He’s actually getting $9,866.41 pension per month as part of his departure. It is still abominable.
Polaro
Fire him. Arrest him and charge him if he committed a crime. Sue him. However, you should not take a person’s pension.