A disgraced former San Antonio police officer, notorious for his appalling behavior, has resurfaced in law enforcement despite a record that should have permanently barred him from the badge. Matthew Luckhurst, who was twice fired for abhorrent conduct, including the infamous “dog-poop sandwich” incident, is now patrolling the streets of Benavides, Texas, approximately 150 miles from San Antonio.
In 2016, Luckhurst was dismissed from the San Antonio Police Department after what Police Chief William McManus labeled a “vile and disgusting act.” According to reports, a fellow officer alleged that Luckhurst scooped up dog feces from the street, placed it between two slices of bread, and left it in a Styrofoam container as a cruel “gift” for a homeless man who was sleeping nearby. Luckhurst claimed he intended for the sandwich to be discarded rather than eaten, but his actions sparked widespread outrage. Fortunately, the homeless man never consumed the repulsive offering.
As if that incident weren’t revolting enough, Luckhurst was also accused that same year of defiling a women’s restroom in the police department. Reports from the San Antonio Express-News revealed he allegedly defecated and then smeared a feces-like substance on a toilet seat. Unlike the sandwich incident, he reportedly did not deny his involvement in this grotesque act.
In 2019, Luckhurst managed to successfully appeal his firing related to the sandwich incident and briefly returned to the San Antonio force. However, a judge later upheld his dismissal in 2020. In a shocking twist, he found employment once more as a police officer in Floresville by February 2022, only to be terminated again after public backlash arose.
Now, in 2023, Luckhurst has been quietly hired as an officer in Benavides. Benavides Police Chief Andre Hines has defended the decision, stating it reflects the department’s “commitment to honesty and accountability.” Hines further claimed Luckhurst’s record since joining has been “exemplary, with no complaints or issues reported,” and assured the public that a “thorough background check” was conducted before his hiring.
However, many are left questioning how someone with such a disgraceful history could be entrusted with the authority and responsibility of a police officer. The mere fact that Luckhurst has been allowed to return to law enforcement multiple times after his appalling actions is a glaring indictment of the system’s failure to uphold basic standards of decency and accountability.
Luckhurst has remained silent, declining to comment on the renewed controversy surrounding his employment. His return to the badge, despite a documented pattern of revolting behavior, is a bitter reminder of the disturbing lack of consequences for those who betray the public trust in such egregious ways.
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