Volunteer Reserve Officer Fired After Choking Child: Tampa Police

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Police Department fired a volunteer reserve officer after she was arrested for choking a child during an off-duty incident, the agency said in a news release.

The victim, accompanied by an adult, reported on Saturday an altercation with Ada Terman Paulino.

The girl told police that three days earlier, Terman Paulino hit her in the face multiple times and choked her as she struggled to breathe, investigators said. The victim sustained minor physical injuries that were still visible at the time she reported the attack.

Terman Paulino was arrested and charged with child abuse.

The victim and Terman Paulino know each other, though police didn’t share the nature of their relationship.

Terman Paulino, who joined the department as a reserve officer in 2022, was immediately relieved of duty and has since been terminated, police said.

Reserve officers are volunteer members of the department trained to assist with emergencies and special events, allowing full-time patrol officers to focus on patrol responsibilities.