Tampa police officer fired after dragging woman into jail

A Florida police officer was fired this week after being caught on video dragging a handcuffed woman into jail, authorities stated.

Gregory Damon was let go by the Tampa Police Department on Tuesday following an inner investigation, the company stated.

Damon turned the middle of a scandal when he and different officers responded to the Tampa Family Health Center on Nov. 17 and arrested a woman who was sleeping exterior the property and refused to depart.

The similar woman, who has not been recognized, was beforehand given a warning and arrested by Damon for trespassing on the similar spot in October, police stated.

Bodycam footage of the woman’s arrival at Orient Road Jail exhibits her refusing to exit the squad automotive. She is heard yelling “I want you to drag me!” at Damon, who subsequently grabbed her arm and pulled her throughout the parking zone.

Police stated that the detainee was not injured throughout the occasion.

“Throughout the incident, the female repeatedly used vulgar and obscene language,” the company stated. “Rather than remaining professional, Damon himself made rude and derogatory comments to the arrestee.”

The TPD was reportedly alerted to Damon’s actions by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. He was relieved of his duties on Nov. 18, pending the end result of the investigation.

“Professionalism is not only expected, it is demanded, in every encounter our officers have with the public, regardless of the arrestee being uncooperative or unpleasant in return,” Interim Police Chief Lee Bercaw stated. 

“This former officer’s actions were unacceptable and are not tolerated at this department, which is why we acted swiftly in initiating an internal investigation, relieving him of his duties, and ultimately terminating his employment.”

Prior to his termination, Damon had been employed by the drive as a patrol officer since Aug. 2016.

Damon’s firing is merely the most recent in a sequence of scandals for the Tampa Police Department, which made headlines earlier this month when Chief Mary O’Connor flashed her badge to get out of a golf cart site visitors cease.

O’Connor was subsequently positioned on go away pending an investigation. She apologized for her “poor judgement” in a press release.

“I have personally called the Pinellas County Sheriff offering to pay for any potential citation,” she stated on the time.