A Gwinnett County Police officer has been fired for kicking a handcuffed man during a traffic stop Wednesday, and a criminal investigation has been launched.
The officer, identified as Master Officer Robert McDonald, responded as backup to the traffic stop at the intersection of Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and Sugarloaf Parkway in the Lawrenceville area, where he allegedly kicked the handcuffed suspect in the head, according to a statement issued Thursday morning.
McDonald had worked with the department since August 2013.
A video of the incident was captured on a cell phone by a witness, which "is very disturbing and speaks for itself," officials said.
"What happened (Wednesday) was clearly outside of state law and department policy. We do not tolerate actions that are not consistent with our core values or state law," said Cpl. Deon Washington in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.
"Robert McDonald stepped outside of the guiding principles of our agency, and as a result of his actions he was terminated less than 24 hours after the incident occurred. The actions by this former officer do not represent the officers of this department who dedicate their lives to serving the community on a daily basis."
The shift commander initiated the investigation, at which point McDonald was placed on administrative leave, stripped of his firearm and sent home.
This appears to be McDonald's first disciplinary action, or at least tthe first over a six-month period. On August 18, 2016, he was given a commendation for three years of good conduct with no disciplinary actions.
