FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Brian Valenti, the K-9 officer who posted a snide comment on Facebook that triggered public outrage nationwide, is being suspended for five days and will be required to undergo sensitivity training, the department said Tuesday.
"After careful consideration of the adverse impact Officer Valenti's Facebook post may have had on any of the individuals involved, his deep regret for making the comment, and the damage inflicted upon the Coconut Creek Police Department's reputation, I have decided to suspend Officer Valenti for a period of five days without pay," Coconut Creek Police Chief Butch Arenal said Tuesday.
Valenti, a 23-year veteran with the department, met with the chief Tuesday and told him he regretted posting a comment saying he hoped Parkland activist David Hogg would get hit by an out-of-control car at Friday's "die-in" protest at Publix. He told his supervisors it was meant as a joke, but he now realizes it was not funny. He plans to apologize in person to Hogg and other organizers of the event.
"Cops are meant to protect and serve communities, not spread hate and violence among them," Hogg said Tuesday in response to the incident.
People around the country called for Valenti to be suspended or fired for the offensive comment, which was posted under a photo of Hogg in a Publix parking lot. In the comment, Valenti said he hoped "some old lady loses control of her car in that lot."
Valenti later deleted the comment, but not before Kim Simonson spotted it and sent an email and screenshot to the chief calling for the officer to be suspended or fired.
"Whether someone agrees with these students or not, it is in very poor taste for a police officer to make the following comment regarding students that have just been through a tragic shooting," wrote Simonson, who lives out of state.
Michael Rajner, a human rights activist from Wilton Manors lending support to the #NeverAgain movement, said Hogg got wind of the comments from his mother.
Hogg has suggested the officer post a video apology on Twitter.
Rajner said he himself was outraged by the Facebook post.
"Did he apologize to save his job or did he really regret what he said?" Rajner said of the officer. "You're a sworn officer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can say what you want, but there's consequences."
Hogg, who helped start the #NeverAgain movement after the Feb. 14 shooting massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, organized last Friday's anti-NRA event at Publix.
The protests centered on the chain's donations to gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam, a self-proclaimed "proud #NRASellout." Minutes before students and sympathizers laid down in protest, Publix announced it was suspending future political contributions.
A story and photo of the protest appeared on a Coral Springs/Parkland page on Facebook. Posts started coming in attacking Hogg, including the one from Valenti.
On Tuesday, the chief argued that the "poor judgment" of one officer should not reflect on the department as a whole.
"Our officers have walked alongside Parkland students providing security during protests, have attended and assisted with events and vigils in Parkland to show solidarity with our kids, and our amazing employees have gone above and beyond the call of duty to be there for our community in a time of need," he said.
Rod Skirvin, a union leader and recently retired Coconut Creek detective, described Valenti as "distraught" over the incident.
Coconut Creek apparently does not want a repeat incident.
According to the chief, City Hall is requiring all employees to receive refresher training on the use of social media in the near future.
