A police officer has been suspended after he was caught on camera kissing a woman instead of penalizing her for breaching a COVID-19 curfew.
Video footage that is now being widely circulated on social media shows the moment the officer locks lips with the young woman after she appeared to persuade him to trade the fine for a smooch.
The woman can be leaning in close to the policeman as he prepares to book her for breaking curfew regulations in the Peruvian capital of Lima. However, instead of penalizing her, the officer has a change of mind as he plants a kiss on the woman's lips. Watch the video below:
Peru extended a state of emergency last week as the country is struggling to come to grips with a a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak. As part of its COVID-19 regulations, citizens in high-risk areas such as Lima are required to remain indoors between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Officer's Suspension Ordered by Mayor of Lima
The officer was handed a temporary suspension amid an ongoing investigation carried out by authorities. The suspension orders came from the mayor of the district of Miraflores in the metropolitan city.
"Our mayor Luis Molina has taken the decision to suspend this officer immediately," the district's head of citizen security. Ibero Rodrigues, said in a statement. "There are several infringements. The young woman disrespects social distancing rules and he allows it. Then he takes off his mask to give her a kiss."
He also noted that although the officer had a clean track record, the offense was serious enough for a suspension. "This action by itself is a very serious one and that's why he's been suspended," he added. Watch the video below:
This is not the first time this month that a Peruvian official was caught on camera in an embarrassing position that nearly cost them their job. Earlier this month, a lawyer was caught having sex with a woman during a virtual court hearing on Zoom, as previously reported. The incident sparked a probe that nearly got him disbarred permanently.
