Fontana chief of police defends women as police officers after headlock incident
The Fontana chief of police held a Monday afternoon news conference to defend a female officer amid some critics who say women shouldn't be police officers.
Community criticism came about after released bodycam video shows a Fontana female officer headlocked by a suspect as a Feb. 9 daytime traffic stop was underway.
Chief Michael Dorsey, Fontana Police Department said, "Some of the critiques I got were statements such as, 'this is exactly why females shouldn't be in law enforcement,' and I was quite appalled by those statements."
The incident in question took place in Yucaipa where two officers working gang investigation detail with Yucaipa police, made a traffic stop on an SUV for vehicle code violations.
A male police officer approached the driver, and asked for identification. The driver, 56-year-old Alan Metka admitted to the officer that he had been arrested before for explosives violations. The officer asked Metka to step out of his car, he complied and walked over to the sidewalk where a second female officer began to pat him down.
The first officer walked back to his patrol car and that's when the second officer found a concealed weapon on Metka, and he in turn put her in a headlock.
The other officer fired his gun and struck Metca in the jaw. He was placed in custody and taken to the hospital. Metka survived his injury and faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer.
"This female officer has the heart of a lion. She was very brave in this incident and she really went above and beyond to protect herself, the community and her partner," Dorsey said.
The female officer is a 20 year veteran of law enforcement. The chief said Metka has an extensive criminal history, including prior arrests for assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking, robbery and possession of an explosive device.
A loaded semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the suspect during the arrest, and neither officer involved was injured.
