California police fire officer who was a Proud Boy, saying they have no tolerance for ‘hate groups’ Hannah Knowles Fresno police have fired Officer Rick Fitzgerald after he was filmed marching with the Proud Boys last November. A police department in California has fired a longtime officer after investigating his ties to the Proud Boys, denouncing the far-right extremists that some call a hate group. The officer, Rick Fitzgerald, rallied with the Proud Boys in November at a pro-Trump demonstration that devolved into violence captured in video clips that resurfaced last month as online sleuths dug into Fitzgerald’s history. Announcing Fitzgerald’s firing on Friday, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said he disapproves of “any police officer” affiliating themselves with violent or hateful groups.
FRESNO, Calif.
A Fresno police officer who is a former member of the extremist Proud Boys group has been fired, it was announced Friday.
Officer Rick Fitzgerald had been on paid leave since an internal police investigation was launched last month after some people said he was seen wearing clothing associated with the white nationalist group while attending a rally in support of selling a local theatre to a church.
“It is clear to me that there were egregious violations of department policy,” Mayor Jerry Dyer said in a statement. “I am pleased that Officer Fitzgerald will no longer be serving as a police officer with the city of Fresno.”
No one wanted my side of the story : Fresno officer allegedly affiliated with Proud Boys speaks out KFSN
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A Fresno police officer says he was fired with a phone call.
Rick Fitzgerald is speaking out hours after both the Fresno Police Department and the city s mayor announced he was terminated from the department for his involvement with the Proud Boys, a far right, extremist group.
Fitzgerald was put on administrative leave once the accusations came to light just three weeks ago when he was seen wearing clothing associated with the group while attending the Tower Theatre protests.
He didn t deny that he was once affiliated with the group, but says after seeing their behavior in Sacramento, he immediately walked away.
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