A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy is under internal investigation after aerial news footage captured him apparently scrolling through a dating app on his phone while crouched behind an armored vehicle during a live SWAT standoff. The video went viral, and now his own boss is publicly furious about it.
The incident took place on April 8 in Jurupa Valley, California. Deputies had been chasing a grand theft suspect for hours before the pursuit ended when a deputy used a grappler tool that caused the suspect’s car to lose control and slam into a brick wall near Jurupa Valley High School. What followed was an hours-long standoff, with SWAT BearCats surrounding the vehicle and officers attempting to get the suspect to surrender.
According to CBS Los Angeles, aerial footage from the station captured a SWAT deputy positioned just feet from the suspect’s car, taking cover behind an armored vehicle and visibly swiping through what appeared to be dating profiles on his phone. The clip spread quickly on social media, drawing sharp criticism from the public.
Sheriff: “It was a slap in the face”
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco did not hold back when confronted with the footage. In a one-on-one interview with CBS LA, Bianco said: “I was shocked, I was embarrassed, I was angry. That is not representative of my department.”
He went further, saying it was “a slap in the face” to the rest of the SWAT team, adding: “It should not have happened; it is intolerable in this line of work. We will ensure that nothing like that ever happens again.”
The department has since launched a formal internal investigation. Bianco confirmed the deputy has been identified, though neither his name nor his rank has been officially released. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said in a written statement, obtained by People magazine: “This behavior does not reflect the standards, expectations, or policies of our department. We have initiated an internal investigation and will take appropriate action based on the findings.”
A dangerous scene the whole time
While the deputy was on his phone, the standoff was anything but routine. Deputies deployed pepper balls, robots, and drones during the hours-long operation. The suspect, who was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher throughout, refused every attempt to get him out of the vehicle.
The situation ended in tragedy. When officers finally approached the car and pulled the suspect out, he was already dead. Authorities determined he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He has not been publicly identified.
Some observers, based on the deputy’s insignia visible in the aerial footage, believed he may have been a sergeant. The sheriff’s office has not confirmed that detail.
Bianco himself is in the political spotlight
The timing adds another layer to the story. Bianco is currently running for governor of California, campaigning heavily on a tough-on-crime platform. The viral footage puts his department’s conduct under a microscope at a particularly sensitive moment for him politically.
No formal disciplinary action has been announced yet, but Bianco made clear accountability is coming. The internal investigation is ongoing.
In recent weeks, other law enforcement stories have captured national attention, including Pope Leo XIV firing back at Donald Trump over a White House comment and the shocking case of former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, who killed his wife and himself at their home.
