In a case that has sparked controversy in California, the Belmont Police Department is facing criticism after hiring Felipe Gomes, a Brazilian immigrant with a history of domestic violence, who was recently arrested on charges of rape under Penal Code 261A1. Gomes, who is not a U.S. citizen, was hired as an officer despite warnings from local law enforcement agencies regarding his problematic history. This case raises concerns about the hiring of non-citizen immigrants in police forces and the Belmont Police Department’s policy on the backgrounds of officers.
Felipe Gomes was arrested last week at the Belmont Police Headquarters, accused of raping someone unable to legally consent due to a mental disorder. The arrest followed an investigation into a case where the victim was unable to give legal consent for sexual relations due to their mental condition. Prior to his arrest, Gomes had been warned by other local agencies, including the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and East Palo Alto Police, who rejected his application due to a prior arrest in 2017 for a domestic violence incident.
The domestic violence incident occurred when Gomes and his wife, who had been married for a year, were on vacation in Florida. According to police reports, Gomes became enraged after discovering text messages on his wife’s cell phone from an ex-boyfriend, and in a fit of jealousy, struck her repeatedly in the face and abdomen. The police report detailed that Gomes’ wife suffered a visible bruise on her left cheek and scratches on her right cheek. However, both were arrested for the incident, although the charges were later dropped by the prosecutor after a month. The explanation for the dismissal of the charges was based on the assumption that the victim had changed her mind, which is not an uncommon occurrence in domestic violence cases, according to prosecutors. Despite this outcome, experts argue that the history of domestic violence should have been a determining factor in preventing Gomes from being hired as a police officer.
Belmont Police Chief Ken Stenquist publicly defended Gomes’ hiring, arguing that according to the department’s policies, backgrounds that do not result in criminal charges are not automatically disqualifying. Stenquist pointed out that in domestic violence cases like Gomes’, charges are often dropped due to changes in the victim’s attitude, and such situations should not be considered an obstacle to hiring. However, this explanation has been met with criticism from other officers and security experts, who believe that any incident of domestic violence should be a disqualifying factor in the hiring process for police officers.
Rich Correa, a former police commander in San Francisco and current law enforcement recruitment expert, commented that domestic violence is a behavior that can quickly escalate, and it is not appropriate to hire someone with such a background to work in a high-risk environment like the police. According to Correa, police officers must be capable of handling tense situations and be natural de-escalators, making a history of domestic violence incompatible with the demands of police work.
Furthermore, the situation is further complicated by Gomes’ immigration status. Despite not being a U.S. citizen, Gomes is in the country on a work permit, a detail that has raised concerns amid the ongoing debates on immigration in the United States. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, a strict stance on immigration has been promoted, particularly regarding immigrants’ access to public positions and security sectors. Trump’s immigration policy has been a topic of ongoing discussion across the country, and this case highlights the tensions surrounding the presence of non-citizen immigrants in law enforcement.
California State Senator Nancy Skinner was one of the main advocates for legislation that allows immigrants with a green card, visa, or permanent residency to serve as police officers, which apparently enabled Gomes’ hiring. This policy has been viewed by some as a positive step toward integrating immigrants into American society, while others, including some sectors of the Republican community, consider it a threat to public safety. In the current context, this Belmont case further complicates the uncertainty surrounding the selection and hiring process for law enforcement personnel in California.
Despite the multiple warnings and increasing controversy, Chief Stenquist has insisted that his department follows hiring policies that are legal and fair. However, criticism continues to mount, especially from those questioning how previous warnings regarding Gomes were handled and the nature of his background. Local authorities in Belmont now face a public debate that could have significant implications for the department’s hiring policies and the community’s trust in its ability to protect and serve.
