The Mercury News<\/em> reports<\/a>: \u201cSgt. Wayne Benitez retired from the department on Sept. 30 and began collecting a monthly pension of $9,866 \u2014 earning him an annual retirement package of about $118,600, according to Amy Morgan, information officer for the California Public Employees\u2019 Retirement System. \u2026 In April, attorneys representing Palo Alto resident Gustavo Alvarez filed\u00a0a federal civil rights lawsuit, which is still ongoing,<\/a>\u00a0against Palo Alto, its police department and six of its employees, including Officer Christopher Conde, Officer Thomas Alan Destefano Jr. and Sgt. Benitez.\u201d<\/p>\n KCBS reported<\/a>: \u201cAccording to court documents, in February, 2018, five Palo Alto police officers kicked down Gustavo Alvarez\u2019 door and ripped him from his home, then slammed him onto the hood of his car \u2014 knocking out some of his teeth \u2014 all while taunting him for being gay<\/a>. The encounter happened after Alvarez had refused to be detained for allegedly driving with a suspended license, he said.\u00a0Alvarez was booked\u00a0for DUI and resisting arrest. Those charges\u00a0were later dropped for lack of evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Said Alvarez\u2019s lawyer to the Mercury News: \u201cObviously the police department and the city of Palo Alto thus far have failed to step up and condemn the actions of these officers. To think that taxpayers are still rewarding (Benitez) is incomprehensible at this point in time and history. It\u2019s disgusting and symptomatic of a department that tolerates its employees breaking the law.\u201d<\/p>\n The post Police Sergeant Charged with Using Excessive Force Against Gay Man Retires, Will Collect $118K Annual Pension<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n