A Chula Vista police officer has been arrested on allegations of domestic violence, the department confirmed Thursday.
An investigation found that the officer allegedly made criminal threats to harm his girlfriend, according to police.
The Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD) said the officer was taken into custody by officers with the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) for a domestic violence incident that happened at a home in Paradise Hills while the officer was off duty.
The SDPD confirmed the officer is Leopoldo Chousal, 27. He was booked into jail and, according to a statement from the CVPD, was “immediately placed on paid administrative leave with the suspension of peace officer powers.”
After his arrest, Chousal bailed out of jail, police said.
The CVPD said the department was “disappointed” to learn of the arrest of one of its own.
“We are cooperating with SDPD’s criminal investigation and we are conducting an internal investigation concurrently,” the CVPD added.
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Neighbors of the home where the arrest happened were surprised to learn that, after all the commotion on their block during the arrest, the man officers came to detain was also a peace officer.
"That's not good for people to see," neighbor John Padilla Sr. said. "If they're in law enforcement, they shouldn't be doing those things...They have to respect the law."
CVPD Capt. Vern Sallee said, per protocol, the department will not comment on personnel issues. Sallee was unable to confirm how long Chousal has been working with the department.
The case has been turned over to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. The DA's office said Chousal is set to be arraigned on March 22.
