ROCKDALE, Texas (KRHD) — Residents in Rockdale are reacting to the firing of a Rockdale Police officer after a video of a traffic stop was posted to social media.
- Former Rockdale Police Officer Stephen Wall was fired after a video on social media showed him performing a "high-risk" or "felony" traffic stop on a couple.
- The Rockdale Police Department released a statement that Wall violated "multiple policies" and his actions did not align with their "core values."
- Some residents are relieved over his firing, but others are questioning whether the department did background checks into Wall's history at other departments in Milam County.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“You’re supposed to be scared of criminals not the cops,” John Gutierrez, a long-time Rockdale resident, said.
The Rockdale Police Department removed an officer from the force after video of a traffic stop he was involved in was posted online.
The video shows now former officer Stephen Wall commanding a couple to get out of their car, put their hands over their heads and get on their knees.
It also shows Wall pointing a weapon at them.
But it doesn’t show what led up to this interaction.
The department released a statement saying that Wall “violated multiple departmental policies” and that his actions didn’t “coincide with the departments core values.”
15ABC tried talking to the chief to find out the specific policies that were violated but was told he wasn’t there.
Neighbors like Gutierrez tell 15ABC he’s happy with the department’s decision.
“I’m just glad that guy lost his job like I said he could’ve hurt someone somewhere else—or here. You shouldn’t have to be scared in Rockdale,” he said.
Others took to social media, saying they were glad the “community did the right thing” and asking if the department background checks into the officer’s history.
“It’s gonna be crooked cops everywhere but for him to do that it wasn’t right,” Gutierrez said.
15ABC searched the Texas Commission of Law Enforcementto see if Wall still has his license, but could not find him in the system.
