The Longwood Police Department has publicly released the contentious bodycam footage of Virgel Quintal, a former Longwood police officer. Quintal resigned in June following internal scrutiny over his actions during a family disturbance intervention, as reported by WFTV. The released video offers a stark insight into the events that preceded his resignation, bringing the officer's conduct into sharp relief.
In the incident that took place in May, police responded to a confrontation involving a 17-year-old, who was taken into custody under the Baker Act, which allows for involuntary examination if an individual is believed to pose a threat to themselves or others. According to WESH, the teenager was arguing with his father over a cellphone when the officers arrived.
The bodycam footage reveals Quintal confronting the teen with what starts as an assertive but seemingly boundary-setting tone. The situation rapidly deteriorates, with Quintal becoming unprofessional, exacerbating an already tense atmosphere. The footage shows a palpable escalation, capturing Quintal's verbal exchanges with the teen and his eventual physical altercation, raising questions about the former officer's adherence to departmental standards.
"Playing the victim does not help. Life does not care if you're bipolar. Life does not care what you have going on," Quintal is heard telling the teen on the bodycam footage. As the teen recounts distressing interactions with his parents, Quintal retorts with a challenge to a physical contest, which culminates in him shoving the teen's head into the patrol car and placing a hand around his neck, as detailed by WESH. This is evident in the video and corroborated by reports from other officers. "That's physical assault, I'm pressing charges on your dumb," the teen is heard saying in the footage, which was released following an internal investigation that sustained 10 violations against the former officer.
Quintal's actions and the subsequent administrative proceedings were brought under further scrutiny when the investigation's outcomes were transferred to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission for review. The Longwood PD has confirmed that the administrative investigation is now closed.
