Suspension Upheld For DL Officer Who Arrested Man For Obscene Gesture

The Devils Lake City Commission has upheld a review board's recommendation to suspend a Devils Lake Police officer for five days without pay.

Sergeant Ted Rainesalo violated a policy directive when he arrested a man in November for making an obscene gesture, the Commission says.

Devils Lake Police officers have been ordered not to make an arrest if the only basis is a gesture.

Rainesalo's actions were investigated by a review board and he was given a five-day unpaid suspension.

A motion to lower the suspension to three days died for lack of a second.

Sergeant Rainesalo maintains he didn't do anything wrong.

"I didn't beat him up, I didn't do anything to him. It was just a simple matter, put the cuffs on, he goes to jail," Rainesalo said.

Rainesalo has been a police officer for 27 years.

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