A Tampa Police officer has been given a 30-day suspension after bodycam video showed him kicking a suspect in the head. Officer Bryan Velazquez, a six-year member of the force, conducted what has now been deemed excessive force during an April 14 arrest, according to the Tampa Police Department. The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Charles Wilson, was accused of fleeing traffic stops multiple times before this incident.
According to WFLA, Wilson led the authorities on a chase that night, ending behind a home on North 9th Street. Velazquez, confronting the suspect, reportedly believed Wilson was attempting to break into to the residence. The encounter, caught on Velazquez's bodycam, showed him ordering Wilson to the ground with profanity before delivering the kick as Wilson began to comply.
The video, released to the public, initiated an outcry and prompted a swift "quality assurance review" from the shift commander on duty at the time of the incident, as per WFLA.
An internal investigation concluded that Velazquez's actions and language were against department policies and procedures, as per a statement by the Tampa Police Department included in a FOX13 report.
Chief Lee Bercaw emphasized in a statement obtained by WTSP, "The arrest itself may have made our city safer; however, the manner in which we perform our duty is as important as the outcome.” The released bodycam footage not only captured the excessive force but also reflected the officer's use of profanity towards an individual who was surrendering and questioning why he was struck after the kick was delivered.
Reflecting the deptartment's commitment to accountability, Chief Bercaw added that such incidents undermined trust between law enforcement and the community. Aside from his suspension, Velazquez will need to undergo remedial training. Wilson, meanwhile, faces charges including possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting an officer without violence, along with other offenses related to drug possession and fleeing from police.
