Crime & Safety

Stalking Arrest of Ex-Murrieta Officer Was Delayed by Hospital Stay

The stalking incident allegedly occurred May 1 at Loma Linda University Medical-Murrieta, but former Murrieta police Officer Chad Bennett was not arrested until May 8 upon his discharge from the VA Hospital at Loma Linda University.

A Murrieta police spokesman provided more information Thursday about the arrest of a former officer.

Chad Michael Bennett, 39, of Menifee, who was terminated in February from the Murrieta Police Department, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stalking his ex-girlfriend who works at Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta, according to Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad.

The stalking incident allegedly occurred a week prior, however, Conrad said.

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"On May 1, we responded to Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta when officials at the hospital called us stating Mr. Bennett was on their property and was trespassing," Conrad said.

"We got there, he was arrested and through an investigation process we decided we had probable cause to arrest him for stalking," the lieutenant said. "The problem was, on May 1 he needed some medical attention and he was given the opportunity to get that taken care off."

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Bennett was later transferred to and treated at the Veterans Hospital at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, according to Conrad.

Murrieta police were advised that Bennett would be released from the hospital Wednesday, so officers traveled there to take him into custody on the stalking allegation.

Previously, to several Murrieta police administrators and officers, city officials and local news media.

Conrad said, however, that since the email in April, they have not been contacted by Bennett.

"We have not heard from him, the stalking charge has nothing to do with any police employees," Conrad said.

Bennett, a Navy veteran who served as a Murrieta officer for seven years, was being held in lieu $250,000 bail at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

Records show Bennett was tentatively due to be arraigned Friday at Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

The former officer had been out on bail for an alleged domestic violence incident when he was arrested Wednesday.

He had been placed on administrative leave from the department following another alleged domestic violence incident in 2012, Bennett told Patch in an interview.

"It was a witch hunt from the beginning," Bennett said, about his time at the department. "During my seven years at MPD, I was outspoken when I saw things that were wrong."

He said he sent the email to create awareness, claiming that when he was placed on leave he received little to no communication from the department, and was terminated eight months later.

In a statement in response to the email, Murrieta police said: "...The criticism was mainly directed at management employees that were at some time involved in the disciplinary process resulting in Mr. Bennett’s termination on Feb. 5, 2013..."

Murrieta police have submitted the case to the Riverside District Attorney's Office, Conrad said, which will determine whether to bring the felony stalking charge against Bennett. 


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