Florida Cop Punished With 'Training/Counseling' for Farting in Colleague's Face
· Reason
A Palm Beach County detective was disciplined for farting in a fellow deputy's face, public records obtained by Reason show.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) personnel complaint filed on November 17, 2025, alleged that Detective James Coppola had "engaged in horseplay by passing gas in Deputy [Joshua] Mohammed's face" in the PBSO's District 9 detective bureau.
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The complaint was not filed by the target of Coppola's rude eruption, but rather the District 9 division commander. The commander also filed a complaint against Mohammed for prohibited horseplay, presumably launched as a counter-offensive.
According to the report, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw authorized an internal investigation into the rowdy officers, and on January 21, the lieutenant assigned to the investigation sustained the allegations against Coppola and Mohammed, finding both had violated PBSO Rules & Regulation "VII(15) Horseplay."
The report did not detail the exact nature of Mohammed's horseplay.
On both reports, under a section titled "final disciplinary action taken by agency," the option "Training Counseling" was circled.
In response to an inquiry, the PBSO did not elaborate on what training or counseling Coppola and Mohammed received. However, a PBSO spokesperson said in a written statement to Reason:
"The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office holds all employees to the highest standards in its commitment to maintaining the public's trust. While the vast majority of our employees uphold these expectations, there are instances when poor decisions result in misconduct. In this case, the actions of our deputies; James Coppola and Joshua Mohammed, were identified, thoroughly investigated, and determined to be clear violations of our agency policies and procedures. We remain committed to accountability and will continue to ensure that our actions reflect the professionalism and integrity our community expects and deserves."
Reason obtained the reports through a public records request under Florida's Sunshine Law for recent complaints and disciplinary records.
The state's relatively broad freedom of information law is often cited as one of the reasons Florida is an epicenter of weird news. These sorts of internal records are nearly impossible to get in some other states, blocking the public from getting information on police misconduct far more serious than two officers playing Terrance and Phillip. (The PBSO records included other, more serious infractions as well, such as a deputy arriving to work drunk or negligently discharging a taser.)
Unfortunately, the Florida Legislature and Governor's Office have been ceaselessly chipping away at the Sunshine Law, but for now we can still enjoy its bounty.
See the reports below:
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