Cop Recieves 3 Year Vacation for Assault

Photo Credit: AP Flickr.com

In 2009, Sarasota Police Officer Chris Childers got caught.  A video in the jail "sallyport" told the story of how his handling of then 21-year-old Juan Perez, drunk, was less than fitting.  The Herald-Tribune described the video at the time:

The tape shows Officer Christopher Childers pull a squad car into the jail's sallyport area with Juan G. Perez, 21, with his hands handcuffed behind him in the back seat about 8 p.m. on June 26. Childers remains in the front seat as Perez shimmies out the squad car's open back window and falls face-first onto the pavement, the video shows. The officer walks around the car and stands by Perez.

Minutes later, as Perez is trying to stand up, Childers apparently kicks him in the chest, then kicks him again. Perez falls back to the ground and Childers stands with his foot on Perez for five minutes. While Childers stands with his foot on the inmate's torso, two other law enforcement officers walk over to see what is going on and then go about their business.

Childers and another officer later pull Perez up and take him into the jail. He is brought back to the squad car, staggering but on his feet. Perez was driven to the hospital, where police said his blood-alcohol content tested at almost three times the legal limit.

This conduct got Childers fired from the police force.  The usual reaction to gratuitous abuse by cops didn't happen here. No whitewash. No hiding behind "we're investigating" until the ill-winds blow past. No vague explanations to justify the unjustifiable.  No bull.

Childers, a nine-year veteran officer and former U.S. Army Ranger, was fired after investigators concluded he violated five department policies.  Read More...
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