A State Trooper fired for kicking his K-9 partner has been hired at the Apex Police Department, Police Chief Jack Lewis confirms.

Chief Lewis tells NBC17 that Charles Jones was hired as an officer at the department in January.

Town Manager Bruce Radford commented on the issue.

"We got excellent recommendations from his supervisors and law enforcement that has worked with him. We decided that basically the fact was because someone had been accused of wrong doing or judgment error does that mean that they shouldn't be allowed to continue in their field of work. Everyone deserves a second chance and we're going to offer him one here," said Radford.

Jones was terminated from his state trooper position in September after cell phone video surfaced showing him kicking his canine.

Recently, a judge decided that Jones should get his trooper job back but no final decision has been made.