Fort Lauderdale, Florida Police Department Officer Caught Pushing, Slapping Homeless Man on Video [Watch]
A Fort Lauderdale police officer was caught on cell phone video pushing a homeless man to the ground and slapping him at a downtown bus station on Sunday.
According to Miami Herald, police officer Victor Ramirez, a nine year veteran, was "relieved of duty with pay" Monday afternoon, according to Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Franklin Adderley. The officer will remain on administrative leave pending the results of a Broward County state attorney's office criminal investigation and an internal affairs probe.
An onlooker at the Broward Central Bus Terminal Sunday recorded the video of Ramirez holding Bruce Laclair's arm before throwing him to the ground.
"Relax. I am telling you right now what's going to happen," Ramirez tells Laclair who is sitting on the ground. "I'm escorting you out right now. You are not going to go pee. You are not supposed to be here."
The officer tells Laclair to get up and then is seen slapping him in the face. Laclair falls over.
"I'm not [expletive] with you. Don't [expletive] touch me," Ramirez says. "Put your hands behind your back."
Detective Tracy Figone told the Miami Herald that Laclair was arrested for trespassing. He was released from jail Monday night.
Fort Lauderdale attorney Steve Rossi said Laclair retained him on Tuesday. He said that for now he is not "charging him with anything," referring to Ramirez. He wants to see what the state attorney is going to do.
"I'm p----d off," Laclair told reporters. "Most of the police officers are very reasonable, good people. They just have a job to do. This guy, I don't know what his problem is."
City Manager Lee Feldman, who held a news conference at police headquarters Tuesday, referred to the video as "clearly disturbing" and "not representative" of the police force.
"We are committed to doing the right thing - not just by the city but the entire community," Feldman said.
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