Police officer resigns after Planned Parenthood incident

Man Killed in West Seneca
Photo credit Photo Courtesy West Seneca Police Dept

WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WBEN) - The officer involved in an incident with Planned Parenthood has resigned.

West Seneca Police confirmed the resignation on Friday afternoon and said the officer resigned prior to the completion of their investigation.

"Although this is the case, we can say the portion of the investigation that was undertaken did reveal the officer’s response was well outside the scope of training, and expectations of conduct for our officers," the department said in a statement. "The West Seneca Police Department strives to serve all members of the public equally and impartially, with the highest ethical and professional standards. It appears that we missed the mark in this particular case."

A man last Friday was asked to leave by Planned Parenthood staff but refused and kicked the doors to their building. Upon arriving, the officer is accused of berating staff at Planned Parenthood over a "Black Lives Matter" sign and refused to respond to the call.

"We appreciate the continued cooperation of Planned Parenthood throughout this process," the statement added. "We are working with them to rebuild our relationship and restore confidence in our Department moving forward."

Planned Parenthood provided the following comment:

We understand that the officer under investigation for his response to an incident that took place at our West Seneca Health Center has resigned before a full investigation into his conduct could be completed. We thank the West Seneca Police Department for handling this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York remains committed to the Movement for Black Lives and stands in solidarity with those working to dismantle the systemic racism that touches every aspect of our lives. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the West Seneca Police Department.