Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
A badge can say a lot about a police officer.
In the case of Rio Arriba County Sheriff Tommy Rodella, the badge can help shelf light on whether he assaulted a man, the Albuquerque Journal reports.
Rodella, who is facing federal civil rights charges, is accused of striking Michael Tafoya, 26, in the face with his badge. The FBI is testing the badge for DNA.
An FBI agent who reviewed a photo of Tafoya’s booking photo showed “a reddish, swollen area under his right eye,” according to an FBI affidavit.
“This is consistent with Tafoya’s statement that sheriff Rodella hit him in the face with his badge, and then ground the badge in his right eye and against his cheek,” the affidavit states.
