Two Riverside Police Department officers charged with vandalism for damaging skateboard

Two Riverside Police Department officers are facing vandalism charges for intentionally damaging a person's skateboard in January, according to the department chief. 

"Last month, a video surfaced showing one of my officers damaging a skateboard in what appeared to be a deliberate act," said Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez in a statement. "I understand the concerns this has raised and appreciate our community's patience as we have been conducting both a criminal and internal investigation."

The video, which has recently gone viral and garnered over hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, shows a group of six officers in the outdoor area of Daniel Harmon's residence on Kendall Street. 

After some time, one of the officers begins to ride a skateboard outside of the home, unsuccessfully attempting to perform a trick several times before giving up. Four of the officers leave after that, but two remain behind. 

One of those officers, holding what looks to be a large mallet or axe he picked up from a table outside, stomps on the board two times, snapping it in half. The second officer approaches and appears to take a photo before the two walk out of frame. 

"It was in the middle of the backyard, just broken," Harmon said while speaking with KCAL News. "I was mad, I was real mad."

The officers were accompanying a code enforcement officer who was serving paperwork at the home when the incident was caught on camera. 

Harmon wasn't home at the time and was outraged to see what had happened to his skateboard. 

"Why? Why break my skateboard?" he said.

He filed a complaint the next day. 

"The Riverside County District Attorney decided to file charges against two of the officers related to this misdemeanor vandalism," the chief's statement said. "One officers has six years of service, and the other has five."

Neither of the officers has been publicly identified but both remain on duty. 

"Let me be clear: This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the standards of the Riverside Police Department. I expect every officer to uphold the integrity and professionalism that our community deserves," said Chief Gonzalez. 

He said that an internal investigation remains ongoing and that the "appropriate course of action" would be taken once it was completed.