A former Salisbury police officer accused of abusing a canine was recently sworn in as a deputy at the Union County Sheriff’s Office, according to WSOC-TV 9.
A video showed James Hampton appearing to lift police canine Zuul by the collar before allegedly striking and hitting the animal, WSOC-TV 9 reported. According to WRAL, Hampton also allegedly slammed the canine into a car, and the video went viral. Hampton resigned from the Salisbury Police Department in 2021 after his alleged behavior captured on the video violated policy, both outlets reported.
Lauren Bonds, executive director at the National Police Accountability Project, told WSOC-TV 9 that Hampton’s hiring at the Union County Sheriff’s Office is a “huge concern.”
“This officer’s background of not only mistreating a K-9, but also resigning to avoid the consequences of the misconduct, raises serious concerns about their willingness to be held accountable and their willingness to follow the rules,” Bonds said.
Union County residents have also questioned why Hampton was recently hired, with Angel Thompson telling WRAL the decision “makes [her] question a lot of things.”
“[It] makes me question a lot of things. If you’re going to hire somebody like that, what kind of other stuff are you willing to overlook? It’s a stressful thing,” Thompson told the outlet. (RELATED: ‘Just Stressed Out’: Woman Reportedly Totals Ex’s Car With Salt, Glitter After Dispute)
According to WRAL, the alleged video of Hampton prompted 93,000 people to sign a petition calling for his termination. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also got involved.
Hampton was sworn in as a deputy in July, WCNC reported. Zuul, the canine who appeared in the video, was retired shortly after the incident and returned to the training facility where it was purchased, the city of Salisbury confirmed to the outlet.
Despite the controversy surrounding Hampton, the Union County Sheriff’s Office defended its hire.
“We are completely confident that Deputy Hampton will provide the same level of professional service Union County residents are already accustomed to receiving from our personnel,” a spokesperson said in an email to WSOC-TV 9.
Hampton never faced criminal charges for the alleged incident involving Zuul, the outlet reported.