Officer fired, mishandled response to poolside beef

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (CBS12) — A Palm Beach Gardens Police Department (PBGPD) officer was fired following an internal affairs investigation.

On May 10, an investigation was opened on officer Bethany Guerriero for her actions in a disturbance call which involved a firearm. It was concluded she violated several department policies, and her termination was effective on Friday, according to a PBGPD news release said.

"The safety and well-being of our citizens and visitors is the first priority of the City of Palm Beach Gardens and its Police Department. We take misconduct by our officers very seriously and will continue to address all incidents such as this, as it is critical to the professional environment and credibility we strive to uphold in our community," the statement said.

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Several PBGPD officers, including Guerriero, responded to an apartment complex pool for two men who were in an argument. One of them allegedly had a gun. The incident was captured by several surveillance cameras at the apartment complex, including one at the pool house, and the footage was posted to YouTube.

The man without the gun was ordered to lie on the ground and was subsequently handcuffed. Later, while at police headquarters, video surveillance footage from inside headquarters shows Guerriero having some type of medical emergency. No other details were offered in the news release Wednesday morning announcing the officer's termination.

CBS12 News has submitted a public records request for the internal affairs investigation and incident report from the PBGPD.