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A Seguin police officer who faced widespread criticism after a viral encounter with a local teenager has been fired following a separate use-of-force incident.
Police Chief Jason Brady terminated Officer Michael Godinez in a June 18 letter, citing three policy violations stemming from a May 20 incident.
The letter does not give details about the alleged incident, but The Seguin Gazette obtained a formal use of force complaint where Lt. Marcos Martinez alleged Godinez struck a suspect in the head while responding to an assault.
Officers were dispatched around 2:40 a.m. to an apartment complex after a reported assault. According to the disciplinary complaint obtained by The Seguin Gazette, Godinez was the first officer to arrive and began attempting to handcuff a suspect who was lying on the ground.
"The subject appeared to be passive on video, refusing to roll over and be handcuffed," the complaint states. "It is not clearly visible on BWC (body-worn camera) from Ofc. Godinez's viewpoint; however, it appears the subject was struck several times on the back side of the head."
The department completed its internal investigation June 12 and determined Godinez violated three provisions of the department's general orders governing officers' use of force.
Under the policy, officers are required to use "only the force that is necessary and reasonable under the circumstances" and to "exhaust every reasonable means of using the lowest level of force before escalating to a higher and more severe level of force."
The policy also prohibits officers from using "any technique, tactic, or weapon for which the officer has not been fully trained," except in an emergency.
Brady notified Godinez on June 15 that he was considering terminating his employment and gave him an opportunity to respond during a pre-disciplinary hearing on June 17. The termination letter does not detail what was discussed during the hearing.
Brady ultimately upheld the internal investigation's findings and terminated Godinez, according to the letter.
Previous complaints
Godinez was the subject of numerous complaints after joining the department in August 2023, according to The Seguin Gazette, which obtained his personnel records.
One complaint stemmed from a September traffic stop that went viral after body camera footage was posted on social media.
In the video, Godinez stops a 15-year-old riding an electric bike for failing to stop at a stop sign. As the teen tries to call his father, Godinez appears to grab his arm. The teen falls to the ground, where Godinez places him in handcuffs.
The teen's grandmother later filed a complaint alleging Godinez used excessive force. She said the teen suffered a concussion during the encounter.
Brady later determined that Godinez did not violate department use-of-force policies in the incident, The Seguin Gazette reported.
Godinez's personnel file also documents other disciplinary issues. According to The Gazette, he received a one-day suspension in December for failing to follow a supervisor's direct orders. He also was removed from his assignment as a security officer at Jefferson Elementary School after a complaint alleged he interfered with a crossing guard.
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