LRPD undercover cops placed on leave this week for questionable actions are identifed as Jason Knowles and Christoval Hernandez
Records obtained in a fierce FOI battle today have identified the two "undercover LRPD cops that were suspended this week.
Incident #1
LRPD cop Knowles and Bauxite, AR resident was off-duty on March 30th and as yet to be explained, ended up on Hogue Road some 12.5 miles from his residence and ended up shooting at a man running from a Saline County Sheriff's deputy.
Here is the press release from the SCSO.
Knowles was hired by LRPD, the first time, in April of 1993. His personnel file (one that we sued the LR Mayor and Police Chief to obtain in 2020) reveals five references to internal investigations in 1996 and 1997.
Knowles resigned from LRPD in 2001.
He was rehired in 2006.
In 2009, Knowles was suspended for thirty days for being intoxicated at work.
He wrecked his police cruiser and was found to be drunk as a skunk.
If things go as normal at LRPD, he will be back on the street in no time.
This is Knowles personnel file.
Incident #2
On March 31st, LRPD undercover cop Christoval Hernandez was arrested by the Saline County Sheriff's office and charged with Domestic Battering in the Third Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the Third Degree.
Brandi Ortiz, the mother of Hernandez' two young children (ages 2 and 4) called 911 to report a disturbance. Ortiz stated that Hernandez had refused to meet her at a public place to return the children from a visit and came to her residence. An altercation ensued and Hernandez struck and choked her.
Hernandez fled before a deputy arrived.
After a deputy arrived, Hernandez called Ortiz and told her she had ruined his life. He told her his LRPD supervisor was coming to take his badge and gun and he was going to jail. He begged her to say she made up the whole thing. He told her he was hiding in a closet and she thought she heard him jack a round into the chamber of his gun. Hernandez told her he had no reason to live.
Contact was made with his LRPD supervisor and he told the deputy that he was with Hernandez. Apparently Hernandez had video recorded some of the altercation and he would meet with SCSO CID the next day.
The incident report makes reference to Hernandez being suicidal.
This is the incident report.
The arrest of Hernandez was not made public due to his "undercover" status.
Hernandez and Ortiz were involved in legal action in 2020 to establish paternity and visitation.
In pleadings, Ortiz sought a drug test of Hernandez due to behaviors he exhibited.
In court records and the latest police report, Ortiz reported being a victim of Hernandez's physical abuse.
If LRPD handles this like they do most LRPD cop domestic abuse investigations nothing with come of it. They have dozens of cops that are abusers and have gotten away with it.
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***UPDATE - 04/04/22***
We obtained the 911 call reporting the latest domestic violence incident involving LRPD cop Hernandez. In it we learn that he threatened to kill his baby mommy if he lost his job. Add that to his suicide threat and his law enforcement career should be over.
You can listen to the 911 call by clicking here.
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***UPDATE 4/6/22***
We made a FOI request to LRPD for any reports that listed Christoval Hernandez as a suspect. They told us there were none.