Details Emerge About Accusations Made Against 4 Officers By Some Boot Camp Participants
STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — New details have been released Friday night about allegations being made against four Southern California officers who worked at a boot camp for troubled teens while off-duty.
"I would have never thought that that would happen," said Bridgit Salazar, a parent of one of the children who attended the Leadership Empowerment and Discipline boot camp program in May.
She is among at least a dozen parents who have come forward with accusations of physical and emotional abuse against their kids.
Salazar alleges the police instructors routinely kicked, slapped, and handcuffed her 13-year-old son during the week-long camp held in San Luis Obispo.
"They beat him over his head, his chest and his stomach and his back," she said.
Authorities this week arrested four officers who acted as drill instructors at the camp, two of which are members of the Huntington Park Police Department, and two others from the South Gate Police Department.
All four were arrested on suspicion of willful cruelty to a child, criminal battery, and abuse under color of authority. It wasn't immediately clear whether those charges had been filed against the officers.
"It's our understanding that they found multiple photos and videos depicting this abuse," Gregory Owen, the victims' attorney, said.
Investigators have identified the alleged victims as ranging in age from 12 to 17.
Both the Huntington Park and South Gate police departments have placed the officers on paid administrative leave and issued statements promising cooperation and transparency with the investigation.
"And I hope that they never, ever, ever are allowed to carry a gun again," Owen said.
Salazar says her son once wanted to be a police officer but now his faith in law enforcement has been shattered.
"He still to this day has headaches," she said.
All four officers were released on $20,000 bond.
Police officials who run the camp have temporarily suspended the program.
