SAN ANGELO, Texas — UPDATE (2:20 p.m. Oct. 10): A San Angelo Police Department officer who was arrested Oct. 4 for theft of property is no longer with the department.
A release from SAPD Chief Frank Carter said Jayson Zapata resigned Friday, Oct. 7.
In the release, Carter said:
"The San Angelo Police Department is a Civil Service Department and has a set protocol for conducting internal investigations in accordance with State Civil Service Law.
While the investigation into his conduct was ongoing, if Professional Standards had sustained the allegations, I intended to terminate Officer Zapata’s employment with the San Angelo Police Department. The criminal investigation will be sent to the Tom Green County Attorney’s Office.
It is very important to me for the citizens of this community to know that this type of conduct will not be taken lightly and will not be tolerated.
It is also essential to express that the conduct of one officer should never reflect on the hard-working, professional, and dedicated men and women of the San Angelo Police Department. Those officers do an outstanding job every day, keeping our community safe."
ORIGINAL STORY: A San Angelo Police officer was arrested Tuesday evening on a charge of theft of property.
Officer Jayson Zapata, 36, was booked into the Tom Green County Jail at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4 and released at 8:58 p.m., according to the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office jail roster.
The SAPD said in a press release that officers were dispatched to Walmart SuperCenter, 5501 Sherwood Way, Tuesday afternoon, for a shoplifter.
When they arrived, officers found the suspect in the parking lot. He was detained and an investigation was conducted.
At the conclusion of the investigation the suspect, identified as Jayson Zapata, 36, was arrested and booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center.
Zapata is a San Angelo Police officer who has been with the department since 2007.
He will be on administrative leave while the department's Internal Affairs Division conducts an investigation.
Zapata was off duty when the incident occurred.
