Despite being suspended from the San Antonio Police Department for allegedly serving a homeless man a sandwich containing dog feces, former officer Matthew Luckhurst has been named police chief of Benavides, Texas. City officials praised his “exemplary” recent record and said a thorough background check justified the controversial hire.
The City of Benavides website lists Matthew Luckhurst as its chief of police. The city recently appointed Luckhurst to the position about a year and a half after he was hired as an officer, News4SA reported.
Luckhurst’s work in Benavides followed his 2016 separation from the San Antonio Police Department. News4SA reported that San Antonio indefinitely suspended the officer for allegedly putting dog feces on bread, placing it in a styrofoam container and giving it to a homeless man to eat.
San Antonio street artist Joshua “Lakey” Hinson posted the video above regarding Luckhurst’s return to law enforcement.
It is not known if Luckhurst underwent any psychological therapy or evaluation following the incident.
The San Antonio Current reported that Luckhurst was terminated from the San Antonio Police Department in 2020 following two “poop-related incidents.”
In the second incident, Luckhurst reportedly defecated in a SAPD women’s bathroom, did not flush, and then allegedly wiped a brown substance with the consistency of tapioca on the toilet seat. The incident was an apparent response to a female officer’s request that the bathrooms be kept clean.
Luckhurst was suspended for the “shit sandwich” issue and reinstated after he won an arbitration hearing. San Antonio fired him in 2020 following the bathroom incident, the local news outlet reported.
Before coming to Benavides, Luckhurst was hired, and subsequently fired, by the Floresville Police Department.
Then Benavides Police Chief Andre Hines hired Luckhurst as a police officer for the small, two-officer South Texas police department. Hines told the San Antonio Current he was aware of the officer’s disciplinary record from San Antonio when he hired him.
In a written statement, Benavides officials stated:
Despite past allegations, Officer Luckhurst’s record since joining the department in April 2023 has been exemplary, with no complaints or issues reported. A thorough background check was conducted before he was sworn in as a peace officer, ensuring that all aspects of his history were carefully considered
Benavides officials say Luckhurst’s hiring and subsequent promotion to police chief highlight its police department’s commitment to giving individuals a second chance.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
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