Video: Officer Fired After Review Showed He Dragged Woman Under Arrest

TAMPA, FL — A Tampa police officer was fired Tuesday after an internal investigation concluded that he violated multiple departmental policies while booking an inmate.

The police department said the investigation concluded that Gregory Damon, a patrol officer since August 2016, dragged a woman he had arrested for trespassing by her arm from his police vehicle across the cement garage door to the intake door of the Orient Road Jail.

According to the Tampa police, on Nov. 17, police were called to the Tampa Family Health Center at 4620 N 22nd St. after a woman was found sleeping outside the center and refused employees' request to leave. The woman had received a trespass warning for sleeping on the property on Oct. 19.

This time, she was arrested by Damon who drove her to the Orient Road Jail for booking. When he arrived at the jail, however, the woman refused to get out of the patrol vehicle and walk into central booking.

According to Tampa police, she yelled at Damon and told him, "I want you to drag me."

In response, said Tampa police, Damon dragged her by the arm to the door and buzzed to gain entry. Two deputies came out and assisted Damon in picking the woman up off the ground and taking her inside for booking.

Throughout the incident, the woman used vulgar and obscene language. But rather than remaining professional, interim Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said Damon reacted by making derogatory comments and being rude to the woman.

He noted that, in 2013, following a similar incident with an uncooperative person in custody, the Tampa Police Department revised its policy on handling uncooperative prisoners. The revisions included specific language prohibiting officers from dragging people who are uncooperative. Instead, officers were instructed to get help from the booking staff inside the jail.

"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," Bercaw said. "As law enforcement officers, we are held to a higher standard. The actions of one individual should not tarnish the work of the nearly 1,000 officers protecting and serving our city who, on any given day, encounter people who choose to be uncooperative during the arresting and booking process. However, they do not let the actions of that individual deter them from following the policies and procedures put in place for safety."

He said proper procedure calls for detention deputies to be summoned to lift the person from the vehicle and place him or her in a restraining chair that can be rolled to the intake area.

"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," Bercaw said.

The Tampa Police Department was made aware of Damon's actions by supervisors at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which operates the county jails.

The Professional Standards Bureau opened an investigation into the incident the following day and suspended Damon pending the outcome of the investigation.

Bercaw said the bureau based its decision on the body-worn camera video and Damon's inability to justify his actions.