A San Diego police officer resigned following an embarrassing incident in which he found himself locked in the backseat of his police cruiser with a woman he had arrested for suspected car theft.
Officer Anthony Hair was involved in apprehending individuals suspected of car theft on the night of August 15, 2023. Among those arrested was a woman with an outstanding bench warrant, as reported by KFMB San Diego.
During the transport, Officer Hair’s body camera recorded a conversation with the woman. The dialogue took an uncomfortable turn when she made suggestive remarks, including propositions for sexual activity. In response, Hair asked her to avoid such conversation.
San Diego Police Officer resigns after getting locked in the backseat of his police cruiser for over an hour with a woman who he had arrested.
Officer Anthony Hair arrested the woman due to a suspected car theft.
On the way to police headquarters, the woman could be heard in… pic.twitter.com/LPVIWQFukU
— BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) May 28, 2024
As the officer’s car entered a quiet neighborhood, communication between him and the woman waned. Subsequently, he deactivated his body camera.
GPS data revealed that Hair’s cruiser decelerated to seven miles per hour before making a turn onto a dimly lit residential street near their destination. The cruiser came to a stop at 1:34 a.m.
Twenty minutes elapsed, and Hair reached out to a fellow officer, seeking information about a master key for patrol cars. He disclosed that he found himself locked in the backseat with the woman and urgently requested assistance.
After spending over an hour together in the confined space, a supervisor finally arrived to unlock the door.
During subsequent interviews, Hair insisted that his intention was merely to check on the woman, and he claimed that the door accidentally locked behind him. Additionally, he explained that his body camera became dislodged while exiting the cruiser.
However, despite the officer’s explanation, the investigation uncovered traces of semen on his belt. The woman involved later denied any inappropriate behavior during their time in the cruiser.
On September 14, 2023, Hair submitted his resignation, less than a month after the incident. During an interview with internal affairs investigators, a fellow officer characterized Hair’s behavior during the incident as one of panic. The investigation relied on his account, as well as the woman’s denial of any wrongdoing.
According to a fellow officer involved in the investigation, “I noticed Officer Hair’s panicked tone. I inquired if he was alright, and he confirmed. Then he asked if I had my patrol car key. When I asked why, he requested that I meet him near Cottonwood.
Curious, I pressed for more information, and he admitted he was feeling quite embarrassed.” This account was reported by a local news station.
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