Fired officer quickly lands another job

CUBA, N.M. (KRQE) - The Santa Fe police officer who was fired for beating up a handcuffed teen was hired onto the Cuba Police Department, the Cuba police chief confirmed Tuesday.

"He's been a great asset to the community," said Chief Jason Griego. "As of today I have yet to receive any complaints on Officer Smoker."

The attack, which is captured on a Santa Fe police department camera, cost Officer David Smoker his job there. The recording of the attack, which occurred in November 2007, has just now surfaced.

Griego said he hired Smoker after he looked into the incident and saw the video in February 2009. The chief told News 13 that his decision to hire Smoker was based on his entire career and not the video.

"(He) had a stellar career prior to this incident, had never had use of force incidents and I was not going to judge an individual off of 15 seconds of his entire life," Griego said.

Before the one day that ended Smoker's career in Santa Fe and cost the city $15,000 in a lawsuit, Griego claims the officer didn't have a blemish on his record in his 14 years as a state police officer and then with Santa Fe police.

Still Griego said Smoker did feel some regret after he lost his cool and beat a drunk and belligerent 17-year-old boy who had tried to spit on him. Griego said Smoker has admitted he made a mistake at some point in the attack.

Smoker was never charged for that beating and calls to District Attorney Angela Pacheco were never returned.

He blamed stress for making him snap in 2007, and the Santa Fe police department has since started peer support groups and other stress management programs after the incident.

Griego said part of the reason why he hired Smoker was because he never tried to hide what happened and even went directly to his supervisor after the beating.

"I believe that everybody deserves seconds chances," said Griego.