Date of Offense
Offense(s)
Official Statement
The incident involving Officer Russell Maranto of the Loveland Police Department occurred on May 20, 2023, and led to significant controversy and legal action. Maranto was involved in a use-of-force situation with a 59-year-old woman who had been placed in protective custody after exhibiting erratic behavior in public.
The incident began when Loveland police officers responded to reports of a woman wandering in and out of traffic. The woman, whose behavior was described as incoherent, was taken to the Medical Center of the Rockies for further evaluation. While in the hospital, the woman, who was handcuffed, became agitated and spat on Officer Maranto after he tried to take a piece of paper from her. In response, Maranto struck the woman in the face.
Body camera footage of the incident was later released, showing the sequence of events leading up to Maranto's actions. Following the incident, Maranto was placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired from the Loveland Police Department on May 23, 2023. A criminal investigation by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office resulted in Maranto being charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor.
This case contributed to ongoing concerns about the use of force by the Loveland Police Department, a department that has faced scrutiny for similar incidents in recent years.
