Officer Jairus Warren, a Houston-area metro officer
© Houston Metro police via AP
Captured on surveillance video using excessive force against a man for sitting on a bench, a Metro police officer resigned on Monday to avoid termination. Although the disgraced cop can still apply to other police departments, the district attorney is currently deciding whether to prosecute the violent ex-cop.

Around 7:30 a.m. on September 14, a surveillance camera recorded two Metro police officers confronting Darrell Giles at a train platform. Sitting on a bench, Giles remained seated while calmly talking to the cops.

For no apparent reason, Officer Jairus Warren suddenly pulled out his collapsible police baton as he continued speaking with Giles. Standing behind Giles, Officer Daniel Reynoso appeared to look inside a bag next to Giles without his knowledge or permission.

Ordered to leave the platform, Giles abruptly stood up after Warren appeared to kick him. Despite the fact that Giles did not attack the officers, Warren immediately extended his baton and struck Giles across the face.

Without using any restraint, Warren viciously hit Giles at least 10 times before Reynoso attempted to stop the needless beating. Even after Reynoso grabbed his partner's arm, Warren continued to strike the non-combative man writhing in pain on the ground.

Charged with resisting arrest and criminal trespass, Giles was arrested and not allowed to receive medical attention until booked in jail. After reviewing the security footage of the incident, prosecutors decided to drop the charges against Giles.

According to Metro police, the officers initially approached Giles earlier that morning for loitering on the platform. After complying with their orders, Giles reportedly returned to retrieve his cellphone when the cops confronted him again at the beginning of the video.

"Let me just say that I did count the number of times Mr. Giles was struck, but one is too many in my opinion if it's not justified," Houston Metro Police Chief Vera Bumpers stated at a press conference on Monday.

After an internal review board accused Warren of using excessive force and recommended his termination, Warren resigned from the department on the same day that Chief Bumpers released the video of the brutal arrest. Due to the fact that Reynoso slightly intervened during the beating and never struck Giles, he has returned to active duty but will require further training.

Because Warren was not fired and currently does not face any criminal charges for beating an unarmed man on video, the former cop can still apply for a position at another police department, which many of his disgraced colleagues have done. According to Chief Bumpers, the Harris County District Attorney's Office has launched an investigation into the incident and will decide whether to press charges against him.