46-year-old South Carolina police officer Michael Dibiase has been arrested and fired after a bizarre incident involving microwaved fish.
Live 5 News details that on June 2, Dibiase, who was a detective with the Myrtle Beach Police Department, confronted a fellow officer after he caught them reheating fish in the office microwave, resulting in a strong fishy odor.
The warrant explains that this quickly escalated to Dibiase unholstering and aiming his department-issued handgun at the officer. It’s unclear whether his gun was loaded, or whether this was done in a joking or threatening manner, but consequences arrived swiftly.
Dibiase was “immediately” placed on administrative leave, and an investigation was launched by the department’s Office of Professional Standards.
This wrapped up quickly, with Dibiase ruled to have violated “several” policies, resulting in the termination of his employment. He was then arrested and booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center and released several hours later with no bail set.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department was quick to say that Dibiase’s actions are unrepresentative of their other officers, and argue that this swift resolution proves that they hold their staff to high standards:
“This incident does not reflect the values demonstrated by the men and women of the Myrtle Beach Police Department every day. However, it does demonstrate our commitment to accountability and our willingness to address conduct that falls short of our expectations.”
South Carolina law says it’s a felony “for a person to present or point at another person a loaded or unloaded firearm” and that punishment can range from a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years.
“It’s just so disgusting and really gets in your nostrils.”
Is microwaving fish in an office kitchen really considered extremely unpleasant for your co-workers? A report in Metro describes doing this as “absolutely disgusting”, with an office worker known as Kim saying: “I have to deal with so many repulsive food smells in my day, but the worst is the fish. It’s unacceptable. It’s just so disgusting and really gets in your nostrils.”
That article also quotes “etiquette expert” William Hanson, who says:
“The cooking of fish – as with curries – is fairly antisocial in a communal kitchen and should be avoided at all costs. If you absolutely have to zap a sardine or reheat a mackerel then do it outside of your colleagues’ regular lunch hours and refresh the microwave after by popping a cut lemon in a glass bowl of water and microwave that for two minutes on full.”
Dibiase is due in court on Aug. 14 and has made no public comment on the charges.
Published: Jun 4, 2026 08:42 am