FW officer suspended for 15th time

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The Fort Wayne Board of Public Safety decided to suspend a Fort Wayne police officer for the fifteenth time Monday evening.

Scott Morales was given a 90 day without pay suspension and will be taken off street duty after using excessive force while transporting an unruly prisoner to Saint Joe Hospital.

Morales has been with the department for almost 20 years. In that time, he's already faced 22 allegations and 14 suspensions.

After learning his fate, Morales smiled as he walked out of the meeting with is son, but refused to comment.

A lengthy investigation reveals disturbing details about the February 13th incident. Morales was dispatched to Piere's Bar in the Canterbury Shopping Center to take a prisoner to the Allen County Confinement Facility (ACCF). The investigation finds the prisoner became abusive, argumentative, and uncooperative; even head-butting the side of Morales' squad car. The prisoner continued yelling and threatening Morales as they drove to the ACCF. When the prisoner arrived at the ACCF, he complained of his diabetic condition and Morales was instructed to take the prisoner to St. Joseph Hospital. Morales testified he was concerned for his safety, but he never called for assistance.

The report continues to reveal that as the prisoner and Morales arrived to the hospital, Morales banged the prisoner's head into a hospital door. He also grabbed the prisoner by the neck with both of his hands, causing the prisoner to gasp and choke and make gurgling sounds as if suffocating. The investigation also found Morales slammed the prisoner's head again on a gurney and called him an expletive. Another officer testified that such behavior was inappropriate. There was no testimony that the prisoner was injured by Morales.

The board concluded Morales is guilty of a breach of discipline and conduct injurious to the public peace and welfare. It also concluded the evidence established that Morales used unreasonable, unnecessary, and excessive force.

While the board additionally concluded that his record reflected a pattern of behavior not acceptable to the force, City attorney Carol Taylor says the board did not base its decision solely on his record. "The board didn't look at all of those allegations," said Taylor. "In fairness, the board was looking at the allegation that was before them. And again based on the agreement that was entered between Chief York and Officer Morales and then in conjunction with the suspension, they feel that this is a result that the citizens of Fort Wayne could live with."

Board member Quinton Dixie told NewsChannel 15 each member agreed Morales used excessive force, but there was disagreement about the penalty he deserved.

Morales' suspension went into effect Monday. When he returns, he will remain in the investigations department in an effort to keep him away from the public.