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The US cop used the surveillance cameras more than once. (Representative Image)
A US police officer confessed that he used security cameras in April to catch his wife cheating.
A police officer from South Carolina, US, was demoted after misusing the city’s surveillance cameras to spy on his wife’s movement. According to a report in WCSC, Ryan Terrell confessed he used security cameras in April to catch his wife cheating.
While Terrell initially claimed he was concerned for his wife’s safety it was later revealed he had other motives. His monitoring led to the discovery of his wife meeting with a sergeant in a Target parking lot on April 11. Following interviews with all parties involved, it was confirmed that Terrell wasn’t a threat to anyone’s safety, but he still faced disciplinary action for the misuse of city resources.
The officer reportedly warned his wife that he would go to jail if he caught her with the sergeant. According to the report, Terrell used the surveillance cameras more than once including when his wife was caught with the sergeant and during three other instances. Before the investigation, Terrell was a Lieutenant, in charge of supervising the Verkada system in the technology unit, but he was demoted to Master Patrol Officer. Additionally, he was put under a six-month probationary period and had his access to the system withdrawn.
The investigations were initiated after Ryan Terrell displayed anger in front of several colleagues, who later alerted the Office of Professional Standards due to concerns about his behaviour. Meanwhile, Terrell began his professional journey in the US Navy as a Master at Arms before becoming a corrections officer at the Charleston County Detention Center. As per his LinkedIn profile, he has held several positions with the City of North Charleston Police Department since September 2008.
In an earlier case, a police officer named Gavin Harper was accused of obsessive and intrusive behaviour and avoided jail after he caught his wife in an objectionable situation with another married police officer. Harper had placed a tracker on his wife’s car and followed her to a Screwfix store in Birkenhead, Merseyside. After getting caught, Harper was reportedly attacked by his wife and her lover in the car park. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on whether Harper had assaulted his wife’s new partner.
Harper is currently facing a two-year jail term and has been suspended for two years from his duties. Harper intended to share the video as evidence of two active officers having an inappropriate relationship.