A Las Vegas police officer was arrested on Thursday for allegedly striking his 4-year-old son’s face four times, according to authorities.
A Metropolitan Police Department correctional officer, Brandon Pierce, admitted to hitting a child after becoming “flustered” while preparing him for school, as reported in an arrest report. Pierce has been with the department since 2023. According to the report, Pierce had taken the boy to afternoon prekindergarten.
According to the arrest report, a police officer from North Las Vegas observed a handprint mark on the left side of the boy’s face. The mark was slightly swollen, red, and starting to turn purple.
An officer from North Las Vegas responded to a call at a local school on Thursday evening. The officer met with a young boy and his mother regarding an alleged incident. The report did not mention the identity of the individual who contacted the police.
According to the arrest report, the mother informed the officer that she entrusted Pierce with the care of her son when she left for work at around 6 a.m. on Thursday.
In the late afternoon, the mother arrived at the school to collect her son. However, the school staff informed her that the boy would have to wait for the police to arrive before leaving, as he had made concerning statements about an incident involving his father.
The mother then contacted Pierce, who discussed feeling overwhelmed because the boy was being uncooperative and resistant to getting ready for school. The arrest report states that Pierce admitted to striking the child on the left side of his face with an open hand.
Following a conversation with the mother, the North Las Vegas officer proceeded to speak with the boy. According to the arrest report, the individual claimed to be sitting on a couch in their living room, casually playing with an old car key, prior to the alleged incident.
Pierce became angry when he discovered that the child possessed the object and proceeded to forcefully strike him on the left side of his face with an open hand, as stated in the arrest report.
According to the report, the North Las Vegas officer did not contact Pierce on his cellphone to get his side of the story before arresting him, likely due to his background as a law enforcement officer.
Pierce has been placed on a “suspension of police powers,” with pay, while further investigation takes place, as stated in a news release on Friday by Metro.
During a court hearing on Saturday, it was revealed that Pierce posted bond after being booked into the North Las Vegas Community Correctional Center, according to a judge. Pierce has been accused of committing misdemeanor child abuse, according to a criminal complaint filed on Monday.