In a recent move to cleanse the ranks of its police force, the office of Chief Garcia announced the termination of two officers following a disciplinary hearing. According to the Dallas Police Department, Police Officer Shawn Couch and Senior Corporal Joshua Cooper were removed from their duties for separate violations of departmental policies.
Officer Couch, badge number 11240, was found to have seriously compromised the trust placed in him by engaging in activities that not only violated the off-duty employment policy but also ran counter to the department's Expanded Neighborhood Patrol policy. He was accused and ultimately discharged for engaging in adverse conduct by receiving pay for off-duty work he did not carry out. In addition, to further damage his standing, Couch gave untruthful statements during an Administrative Investigation, the report detailed. His actions undermined the integrity of the department and the community's faith in it.
Senior Corporal Cooper, badge number 9920, was also terminated for conduct deemed detrimental to the force. Murphy police officers reportedly found him asleep at the wheel of his operating vehicle in an incident that culminated in his citation for Public Intoxication. This infraction paves the way to understanding just how the image and effectiveness of law enforcement can be tarnished by the personal failings of its members.
