Former Officer Matthew Dages had faced a single count of lying of a police report, stemming from the arrest of a Black man that angered many in the community and sparked protests
Now retired La Mesa police Chief Walt Vasquez sent former Officer Matthew Dages a termination letter on Aug. 7.
According to the records, Dages didn’t ask another officer to accompany him or activate his body-worn camera before he walked up to Johnson, who was waiting for friends and standing against a parking garage wall outside an apartment complex.
Investigators determined 57 seconds elapsed between the start of the encounter and the moment Dages activated his camera, which happened once the encounter turned tense.
Dages told investigators he activated his body camera “as soon as reasonably possible” a statement the investigators and the police chief rejected. They said time and safety were on Dages’ side before and when he approached Johnson.