Four Orange County Sheriff’s deputies filed workers’ compensation claims in California for physical and psychological injuries they say they sustained during the Oct. 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas, according to a report by the Orange County Register.
The deputies were at the Route 91 Harvest festival on their own time but say they acted as on-duty law enforcement officers after the shooting started. The shooting ultimately killed 58 people and wounded more than 500.
Tom Dominguez, president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, reportedly told the deputies to file workers’ compensation claims.
According to the Orange County Register, he said the sheriff’s department expects deputies to take action when the public is in danger, and the county should be cautious in reviewing the claims.
“If they deny the claims, then the message that they’re sending to their peace officers is not to take action when it is certainly warranted,” Dominguez reportedly said.
County Supervisor Todd Spitzer reportedly called for a closed session to discuss the claims after learning that the county was likely to deny liability.
Spitzer, who is running for district attorney, said the deputies may not have compensable claims under a strict interpretation of California law, but he doesn’t want to “send a message that Orange County is going to abandon any of its peace officers who are trying to save lives.”
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Christopher Lear Oct 18, 2017 a 7:10 pm PDT
There are times a cop is working and there are times when they're simply acting as a good samaritan and, much like any good samaritan, using the training they have received. Are we going to cover cops who get injured out of the country? On a boat? On a plane? This is ridiculous. Please draw the line and deny these claims, despite the warning of Mr. Dominguez. If they don't want to "take action when it is certainly warranted", then what does that say about those cops anyway? I read the news. Lots of plain citizens also helped out. Perhaps we can do without the few bad cops who refuse to help in an emergency because they won't be able to collect benefits.