POST revokes certification of former Torrance officer Joshua Satterfield over racist text messages

The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training on March 6, 2025, voted unanimously to adopt the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Advisory Board's recommendation to revoke the POST certification of former Torrance Police Department officer Joshua Satterfield.

Investigators told commissioners that Satterfield sent and responded to multiple homophobic, transphobic and racist messages while a Torrance officer. Robert (Robbie) Bringolf, a law enforcement consultant assigned to the Los Angeles Professional Conduct Bureau, told the commission the division found reasonable grounds to believe Satterfield‘s messages met the statutory definition of serious misconduct under California Penal Code section 13510.8 and POST regulation 12.05(a)(5). Bringolf read specific messages into the record, saying one exchange included the response "What's the crime?" to an article alleging an adult urinated on a Black child and used a racial slur; Bringolf said that response "shows indifference toward a specific protected class." He also summarized a message in which Satterfield allegedly used a racial epithet and wrote, "you failed to kill," about a community member, and another message that joked about a decedent's child and racial stereotypes.

The commission's action was procedural and limited to whether the division presented facts that, if proven at a later evidentiary hearing, would establish a high probability of serious misconduct. Chair Jeff Long read the standard and explained the panel's role is to decide whether the matter should go forward to a full administrative evidentiary hearing. Commissioners asked questions about how the conduct was not detected during background checks or psychological screening and whether the messages reflected a broader department culture; Bringolf said the exchange was among several messages reviewed and that department policies alleged to have been violated included Torrance PD's anti-harassment rules and general orders.

Members of the public addressed the commission before the vote. Tasha Williamson, a civil-rights activist from San Diego, urged POST to strengthen outreach so communities can more readily participate in these proceedings and stated the community should "affirm the board's recommendations" in cases of bigoted conduct. Yousef Miller of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition called for more community advisory positions and said the messages confirmed broader patterns of bias that have real-world impact in stops and policing.

Commissioner Cooper moved to adopt the advisory board's recommendation to revoke Satterfield’s certification; Commissioner Braun seconded. The roll call vote recorded 13 ayes, 0 nos; the motion passed unanimously.

The commission's vote forwards the matter to the next procedural step: if Satterfield requests an administrative-law hearing the full evidentiary record would be developed before an ALJ, and the commission would make any final disposition only after that hearing.