Former Cop with History of Scandals Appointed Police Chief
Matthew Luckhurst, a former San Antonio police officer who fed a homeless man a sandwich filled with dog feces, has been appointed chief of police in the small Texas town of Benavides. The appointment took effect on June 1, despite Luckhurst's history of revolting acts that made international headlines.
Details of the Dog Poo Sandwich Incident
In 2016, Luckhurst was accused of stuffing dog feces into a sandwich and leaving it for a sleeping homeless man while on bike patrol. Fellow officers reported him after he bragged about the alleged prank. Luckhurst denied the claim through his lawyer, who insisted it was a joke and that the sandwich was never given to anyone. Investigators could not locate the homeless man, and Luckhurst avoided being fired on a technicality.
Further Faeces-Related Incident and Termination
Luckhurst was eventually sacked by the San Antonio Police Department in 2020 after another faeces-related incident. He allegedly defecated in a women's restroom at the station, failed to flush, and smeared a brown substance described as having the consistency of tapioca on the toilet seat. This occurred after a female officer had complained about the facilities being left dirty.
Subsequent Employment and Backlash
After his termination, Luckhurst found work with the Floresville Police Department but was fired again in 2022 following public backlash over his hiring. Despite these controversies, Benavides officials appointed him as police chief after conducting background checks required under Texas law. The town has a population of about 1,100 people, and Luckhurst was one of only two officers in the department before his promotion.
