S.F. fire dept. investigating lieutenant who said ICE should 'catch 'em all!'

"A San Francisco fire department lieutenant is under investigation after he made comments online cheering a federal immigration operation in Oakland and saying he wanted more immigrants deported. Lt. David Waters, who has been with the San Francisco Fire Department for more than a decade, commented on a November story about a West Oakland immigration operation with a GIF reading "Gotta catch 'em all!'" The phrase is a reference to Pokemon, and the GIF featured a smiling Pikachu pumping his fist."

"The story referred to a Nov. 19 incident in which an Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle reportedly totaled a pregnant woman's car after a high-speed chase to pursue a man who had tried to "flee" from agents. The woman was unharmed. The man had reportedly dropped off a child, either his child or grandchild, at an elementary school when ICE targeted him for arrest."

"After Waters' initial comment on SFGate's Instagram post of the story, a user wrote it "would be a shame" if people called the fire department "letting them know what a racist they have working for them." Waters then replied: "how am I racist for wanting illegals deported?" He also said "no one is being 'kidnapped' how is it wrong?" and "You don't get to enter a country illegally then complain when you're told to leave or detained and forced to leave!""

"The posts and Waters' Instagram profile were deleted hours after the fire department was asked for comment on Sunday evening. Waters' LinkedIn, which previously listed him as a "lieutenant with the San Francisco Fire Department," said he was in "landscape photography." His face had been scrubbed from it. A "David Waters" was listed in the San Francisco Fire Department's payroll as far back as 2009. His most recent salary was $319,625.98 - $264,773.96 in pay and the rest in benefits, according to Transparent California."

Lt. David Waters, a San Francisco Fire Department lieutenant of more than a decade, posted a GIF reading "Gotta catch 'em all!" in response to a November West Oakland immigration operation. The underlying incident involved a Nov. 19 ICE vehicle reportedly totaling a pregnant woman's car during a high-speed chase after a man attempted to flee; the woman was unharmed. Waters replied to critics by saying he wanted "illegals deported" and disputing claims of kidnapping. Waters' Instagram and LinkedIn entries were deleted after the department was asked for comment. Payroll records list a David Waters on the department payroll since 2009 with a most recent salary of about $319,625.98.

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