The Dallas Police Department confirmed on Monday, Sept. 27, that they fired one of their officers who killed a cat in Pleasant Grove last month and placed six officers on administrative leave to investigate a potentially illegal search.
Officer Jesse Coates and other officers of the Dallas PD responded to a domestic disturbance at about 12:45 a.m. Aug. 21. The event occurred in the 9900 block of Bluffcreek Drive, near North Masters Drive and Bruton Road.
According to the Dallas PD, Coates observed a cat that was in distress and killed it. Dallas police did not say why the cat was in distress and provided no additional information related to this event.
Coates was placed on administrative leave after the incident while the Dallas Police Department conducted internal and criminal investigations into his action. His records show that he was hired in January 2020. Coates, who had been on administrative leave since Aug. 28, was fired on Tuesday, Sept. 21.
According to Dallas PD, Coates failed his probation. The probation is an observational period that all new recruits pass through after they have been hired. During this period, they also undergo and complete other training.
Coates was fired on the same day that the Dallas Police Department announced it was placing six of its officers on administrative leave. All six officers are being investigated for their role in a December motel search that the department is alleging as illegal.
The alleged illegal search was discovered after the department executed a routine review of body camera footage. One of the six officers, Jacob Hughes, was flagged by the Dallas PD for allegedly fabricating physical evidence.
Hughes’ attorney, Toby Shook, disputed the allegation laid on his client by the Dallas PD. Shook said his client, who had a warrant issued for his arrest following the discovery, had mistakenly left out some information in the case’s report.
The other officers involved in the illegal search are Nathan Newman, Bradley Williams, Thomas Foster, Moses Munoz, and Dylan Nelson. All are currently under investigation by the Dallas Police Department.