August 21, 2015
Contributed Art /Facebook
Philadelphia Police Officer Matthew Zagursky, a 9-year veteran of the force, was removed from street patrol and stripped of his gun after two videos showing inappropriate conduct went viral on Facebook.
A Philadelphia police officer was removed from street patrol and stripped of his gun Friday after a video surfaced on Facebook showing him allegedly offering to not tow a car if the driver bought tickets to a police union fundraiser.
He also could be heard making derogatory comments toward the driver of the vehicle.
Two videos, posted by unidentified Facebook user Rob Stay Faded, show Officer Matthew Zagursky's exchange with the driver of an allegedly unregistered vehicle. Zagursky, a 9-year veteran of the force, can be heard on the video telling the driver that he won't tow the car if he and his passenger purchase two $10 tickets to a police union fundraiser.
In the course of the video, Zagursky makes a comment about pink windshield wipers the driver had installed in honor of his grandmother's battle with breast cancer. "You look like you're a fruitcake, you know, what the hell?" Zagursky said.
The videos, which have quickly gone viral, can be viewed on Facebook here.
According to Philly.com, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey acted swiftly after seeing the videos at a morning briefing, calling them "illegal" and an "embarrassment" to the force.
Investigators will attempt to trace information about where and when the traffic stop occurred, as details of the incident remain unclear.
Read more at Philly.com
