‘I Want You To Drag Me’Cop Takes Away Woman’s Right to Walk to Jail.

Tampa Police Officer FloridaAfter body-cam footage showed him literally pulling a woman in handcuffs through an underground parking garage to get her to jail, he was fired.

The Tampa Police Department fired officer Gregory Damon after an internal investigation into the incident, claiming that even though the woman had refused to cooperate — and had even instructed him to go ahead and drag her — he had failed to remain “professional” Throughout their interaction.

WATCH:

Tampa officer dismissed after video shows him dragging women into jail https://t.co/v3QxdjPkiz pic.twitter.com/Kl9zWjQwFY

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) December 27, 2022

According to a report from local NBC News affiliate WFLA, the incident had occurred just over a month earlier — on November 17 — after police were dispatched to the Tampa Family Health Center, where a woman was allegedly sleeping outside and had refused to vacate the property.

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was reportedly warned about trespassing at the health center a month earlier — so when Damon arrived on the scene and she still refused to leave, he arrested her.

The women arrived at the Orient Road Jail shortly after arriving. refused Damon told her: She would not be able to get out of the car and she wouldn’t be able to walk to the door on her own. Damon explained to her: “I’m going to drag you out of this car,” She could also be heard shouting back. “I want you to drag me!”

In addition, she continued to hurl obscenities and insults at Damon as he proceeded to do exactly what she had told him to do — drag her by the arm through the parking garage from his vehicle to the door. WFLA reported that Damon did not inflict any injuries on her.

Damon called upon booking officers to help him get the woman to her feet.

When the department made its announcement Damon’s termination On Tuesday, however they stated that he had broken a number department policies by delivering the woman to prison. They stated that he should have called the booking officers immediately after she refused to get out the car. And in addition, they noted that he had responded to her insults by making rude and insulting comments about her — and they said that it was his responsibility to remain professional in spite of her comments and actions.

“Throughout the incident, the female repeatedly used vulgar and obscene language. Rather than remaining professional, Damon himself made rude and derogatory comments to the arrestee,” investigators reported. Additional reports noted that department policy — as of 2013 — explicitly stated that dragging an uncooperative person was not acceptable behavior. Damon was with the department from 2016.

When investigators determined that there had been no just cause for Damon’s policy violations, interim Police Chief Lee Bercaw announced Damon’s termination and issued a statement of his own.

“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. As law enforcement officers, we are held to a higher standard,” He said.

Bercaw went on to say that he believed letting Damon go was the right decision, explaining that he could not allow one officer’s actions to “tarnish the work” Other officers who acted professionally and followed the correct procedure in dealing with similar situations.

“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,” He said.

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