South Carolina detective loses certification after Office dispute over fish

Michael DeBiase entered a guilty plea Friday to public disorderly conduct related to the incident that occurred at the Myrtle Beach Police Department earlier this year.

As part of a plea agreement, DeBiase is required to relinquish his police certification and is prohibited from attempting to regain it, according to official court filings.

A warrant detailed that the 46-year-old officer confronted a colleague over the warming of fish in the office microwave, which resulted in an unpleasant odor.

The warrant further stated that DeBiase drew and pointed his department-issued handgun during this confrontation.

Following the charges against DeBiase, his standing with the police department deteriorated significantly.

“He was placed on administrative leave immediately following the incident while investigations were conducted by the Myrtle Beach Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division,” a statement released in June confirmed.

The court documents do not specify whether DeBiase’s firearm was loaded or the type of fish being heated.

Recent discussions about workplace etiquette have highlighted the heating of fish in shared spaces as a particularly problematic practice.