Police officer accused of putting foot on man’s head has been in trouble before

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WCSC) - A former police officer who was recently fired after authorities say he put his foot on a man’s head has been in trouble before.

According to investigators, police officer David Dukes, who worked for the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, was seen on body cam video stomping on the head of a 58-year-old African American man last month.

Dukes was fired and charged with first-degree assault and battery. The director of the department said he was horrified by what he saw on the video.

But this is not the first Dukes has had problems with a police department. According to information from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, Dukes was hired by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office in 2012 but was removed because he could not pass the mandatory academy test. He rejoined the force a year later.

In April of Last year, Dukes worked for the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office on the K-9 squad, but according to his personnel file his supervisor, Sgt. Adam Clayton, gave him a negative review..

“Deputy Dukes’ actions are causing a turmoil with the unit,” Clayton wrote. “Deputy Dukes is creating a hostile work environment for other members of the K-9 unit and I feel he is counterproductive toward the goals and mission of the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.”

Dukes personnel file also reveals in September of last year, Chief Matt Trentham with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office called his attitude destructive and offensive to their team member.

In the file, he wrote he had to personally counsel him on his behavior and conduct at least six times. The same day that memo was written Dukes was fired from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.

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