Officer posts photo of baton over bloody sidewalk, and now he’s fired, CA cops say

As demonstrators across the country march in protest against police brutality, an officer in Long Beach, California, posted a photo of himself holding a baton over a blood-spattered sidewalk, CBSLA reported.

The Long Beach Police Department fired him Friday, according to CBSLA.

Jacob Delgado posted the picture on his Instagram account on May 31, the Long Beach Post reported. The photo was posted around the time that officers clashed with protesters in downtown Long Beach, according to the Post.

“Our organization is dedicated to our community and we must build upon the relationships we have while continuing to develop and foster new relationships,” police Chief Robert Luna said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times. “We hold our employees to the highest standards and will not ignore behavior that erodes public trust.”

The department said it became aware of the post Thursday and immediately removed the officer from his patrol duties, CBSLA reported. It’s not common for LBPD to fire an officer so quickly after an incident, according to the Post.

Delgado’s social media accounts appear to have been deleted, media outlets reported, and he could not be reached for comment Saturday.