A police detective served two days’ unpaid suspension after an internal-affairs investigation determined he engaged in “improper conduct” in a fight involving a number of others, according to recently-released records and police.
The incident involving Detective Joshua Mahler, who was off duty at the time, happened in July 2022 outside the Walmart Neighborhood Market in the 3000 block of Southwest Port St. Lucie Boulevard.
The internal inquiry followed a criminal investigation that ultimately resulted in no arrests, according to police.
Portions of the incident were captured on surveillance video and other video.
According to a review of Walmart video, police reported a group of young adults walked in the crosswalk heading toward the parking lot. One person in the back of the group stepped into the path of a sport utility vehicle, which stopped.
Mahler, in civilian attire, got out of the SUV and the confrontation began. The incident involved a number of people, and Mahler’s wife exited the SUV and apparently got involved. She wound up being taken to a hospital for medical care.
At one point, the records state “the parties involved fall to the ground and it becomes a large scrum in the parking lot.”
The Mahlers completed waivers of prosecution in the case.
Mahler in August 2022 requested an expedited disposition of an administrative complaint, which gives employees a faster way to resolve a disciplinary matter, police stated.
He was suspended four days, but that was reduced to two days after he participated in a corrective-diversion program, according to police.