Matthew Dages, formerly a La Mesa Police Officer, was involved in a minor use of force incident during an arrest in May of 2020. The use of force was determined to be justified and within department standards, but officer Dages was terminated, then criminally charged with falsifying a police report. In December of 2021, after a nearly two-week trial, the jury found Matthew not guilty. Matthew is now pursuing his legal options to return to duty as a police officer. Before the trial, Matthew was unable to speak publically about the event. Matthew's wife, Christina lead the outreach and engaged with media outlets throughout the process. For the first time, they are able to sit and discuss the event and subsequent legal proceedings, and the impact they have had on their lives.