PLANTATION, Fla. (AP) _ A veteran police officer has been suspended for 16 hours without pay after officials said he sent text messages with inappropriate come-ons to a domestic violence victim.
According to documents released Friday, Joseph Sposa responded to a call on May 1 from a woman who had been pushed down stairs by her mother. Plantation police said Sposa began texting the woman later that day, offering to take her on his motorcycle, calling her “love'' and signing one with x's and o's.
An internal affairs report said Sposa put his own interests in developing a relationship before his duties as an officer.
Sposa told investigators the text messages were to check on her and “cheer her up.''
Police union president Joseph Mercogliano said “he accepted responsibility for his actions and he's very remorseful.''
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