A Los Angeles County deputy convicted of excessive force continued to collect payments for months even though he was prohibited from carrying a badge in California, according to Sheriff’s Department officials and county records.
A federal judge convicted Trevor Kirk in February 2025 of the crime after he was filmed throwing a woman face first on the floor outside a supermarket in Lancaster.
Kirk, 33, was sentenced to four months in prison and had his law enforcement officer certificate revoked by the Peace Standards and Training Commission, effectively barring him from working as a state police officer.
But Kirk remained employed with the Sheriff’s Department for months afterward, collecting benefits and a six-figure salary. After he was released from duty in 2023, Kirk was off the road and had no other duties assigned to him by the department, a department spokeswoman said.
Now, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Public Oversight Commission is tasking the Sheriff’s Department with drafting a policy to determine how to handle the dismissal of certified deputies who can no longer serve as peace officers in California.
Kirk’s attorney, Tom Yu, did not respond to a request for comment.
Kirk was released from duty in July 2023. In a recording that surfaced a few weeks ago, Kirk was seen responding to a report of a robbery and being approached by a woman outside a WinCo Foods supermarket.
The woman was filming deputies with a cell phone when she arrested a man matching the description of the suspect. Kirk then went to the woman, tried to take her cell phone and threw it to the ground, the video said. Kirk pinned him down with his knee on his back and used pepper spray, twice, on his face.
Kirk was charged by federal prosecutors with a felony count but offered a plea deal before the trial. Kirk pleaded not guilty and was convicted by a jury in February 2025 of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
After the election of President Trump, the new federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, Bill Essayli, made the unusual and controversial decision to offer Kirk a plea deal after being convicted.
US District Judge Stephen V. Wilson rejected the move, writing that prosecutors had presented no new evidence or circumstances that would justify overruling the jury’s verdict.
Kirk remained employed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department a year after his conviction while his attorneys appealed his case.
According to a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department, Kirk was released from duty on July 10, 2023. But he continued to be employed and earn a salary.
According to district records, Kirk earned total compensation of $201,062 in 2023, which includes benefits and overtime. He took home another $170,000 in 2024.
Details of Kirk’s 2025 salary were not immediately available from the county, but a Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said Kirk remains with the agency until February 20, 2026.
A spokeswoman declined to say why Kirk left the department, citing rules that keep employee information confidential.
State records show Kirk remained employed with the Sheriff’s Department three months after the California Commission on Peace Officer Qualification and Training revoked his certification, disqualifying him from working as a law enforcement officer in the state.
According to the government agency, called POST, Kirk’s certification was suspended on October 9, 2025, due to his conviction. It was officially withdrawn on Nov. 13, 2025, due to his conviction.
Under a state law passed in 2021, all peace officers must be certified by POST. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department said people can work in support roles and other non-sworn positions without certification.
Nick Wilson, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Professional Assn., an organization that provides deputies with legal representation, said being certified through POST does not mean automatic termination.
“Deputy Kirk has maintained his employment status while those legal and administrative processes are ongoing,” Wilson said. “That’s not uncommon in complex cases that involve ongoing appeals, potential leniency reviews, and administrative processes.”
Wilson said his organization continues to support Kirk in his efforts to challenge his conviction, raising funds and writing a letter asking Trump to intervene in the federal case.
“Deputy Kirk used the level of force that deputies across the country are trained and authorized to use when arresting an unsuspecting suspect,” Wilson said. “There was no allegation that he had the ability to kill and no allegation that he had malicious intent.”
LA County employees are allowed to appeal disciplinary actions and dismissal decisions to the Civil Service Commission.
Kirk’s departure from the Sheriff’s Department last month comes as the Citizens’ Oversight Commission seeks to create a policy to ensure that Sheriff’s Department employees are decertified.
The motion on the February 19th agenda, which was passed unanimously, did not disclose Kirk’s case, but it was on the minds of supporters and critics of the former supporter.
Wilson opposed the motion and called Kirk’s conviction “one of the greatest injustices ever inflicted on any member of the department.”
“All the deputies are currently looking to see if the leadership represents a fair process or continues with political games,” said Wilson during the meeting.
Hans Johnson, who is the chairman of the Civilian Oversight Commission, said that he found it worrying that the department still needs to create a policy since the law of the land requires that the police officers who look after the peace be authorized since this law was enacted in 2021.
“It’s about us,” Johnson said. “There is still an ongoing attempt to challenge or predict a clear national policy based on some understanding, or misunderstanding, of labor law.”
Kirk’s lawyers are still seeking to overturn his conviction in federal court.
Kirk was originally ordered to surrender on August 28 of last year to begin his prison sentence, but on August 15, US District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ruled that Kirk can remain free on bond pending his appeal.
