Off-duty officer in Trump hat relieved of official duties for threatening man in viral video

An off-duty police officer in Missouri has been removed from his official duties and placed on administrative duty pending an investigation after he was seen in a viral video threatening a man following a car accident.

The St. Joseph Police Department said in a statement that the agency has reviewed portions of the video and that an investigation will be conducted.

“Police Officers are the most conspicuous representatives of government and, to the majority of people; they are a symbol of stability and authority upon which they can rely,” the release states. “Unbecoming conduct on the part of police officers adversely affects the operations of the department and ultimately destroys public confidence in it. All matters involving officer misconduct allegations are and will be investigated by the department.”

Officer Brandon Harrison can be seen in a viral social media video that was uploaded to TikTok over the weekend.

The clip received more than 2.5 million views on the app and an additional 1.2 million views when another user shared it on Twitter.

Clad in a “Trump 2020” hat, a tank top and shorts, Harrison is seen confronting an unidentified man in an expletive-filled tirade. 

Harris is seen stepping toward the man and orders him to sit on the ground. 

A uniformed female officer is present at the scene, and the man tells her that Harrison is not in uniform before asking Harrison to “please get out of my face.”

“Sit the f--- down!” Harrison yells.

“An officer is supposed to be respectful,” the man responds.

“I’m not working right now. I’m on vacation. I will f--- you up,” Harrison tells the man. “Sit down.”

The uniformed officer then tells the man to follow Harrison’s instructions.

“Do what he says. Sit down,” the officer is heard saying before the man sits down.

Harrison then accuses the man of lying about what happened during the car accident.

“Tell that to a f---ing judge and see who they believe, bitch,” Harrison says.

The man asks the uniformed officer to stay out of his vehicle, and Harrison again reprimands him. The man is heard saying that he wants to call other police, specifically mentioning a sheriff’s deputy.

“We are the police,” Harrison says with a smile, motioning toward himself and the uniformed officer.

The Kansas City Star noted that no one appeared injured following the accident. Harrison reportedly said in an additional TikTok posted by the same user that the damage to his truck was minimal.

Harrison has been with the St. Joseph’s Police Department since January 2019.

The viral clip comes amid ongoing protests nationwide against police brutality and racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died last month in Minneapolis police custody.

Local outlet News-Press Now reported that activists gathered outside the St. Joseph Police Department over the video and that more protests are planned. 

Area activists Nolan and Eliot O’Callaghan told the outlet that the uniformed officer seen in the video also needs to be held accountable.

“What I found to be disgusting is the female officer sat there and did nothing. I think she is the example of how good cops don’t stop bad cops,” Eliot O’Callaghan said.