Deputy Suspended For Excessive Force For Stun Gun Use

Orange County Deputy Suspended For Excessive Force For Stun Gun Use

BY Eric Mock Orange County

PUBLISHED 9:04 AM ET Apr. 16, 2019 PUBLISHED April 16, 2019 @9:04 AM

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff's Office has suspended one of its own after an internal investigation showed he used excessive force.

Deputy Ayler Cruz was suspended without pay for 81 hours
Orange County Sheriff John Mina condemned the use of force

That force was used when Deputy Ayler Cruz used his stun gun on Tevion Dickson on Sept. 26, 2018.

In body cam video provided by the Sheriff's Office, Cruz was shown to have gotten out of his patrol car, threaten to stun Dickson and then command him to get on the ground.

Then just a couple seconds later, he shocks Dickson.

In audio heard on the video Cruz said, "Get on the f—ing ground. Get on the ground. You're going to get tased … I will tase you again. You're going to get tased again, turn around … go to your side, turn around or you're going to get popped again, turn around or you're going to get popped again."

According to a release from the Sheriff's Office, Cruz's superiors reviewed the incident and determined his actions violated Orange County Sheriff's Office Written Directive 5.1.3 (15) Excessive Use of Force.

An internal investigation confirmed those findings.

"Personnel shall not use more force in any situation than is reasonably necessary under the circumstances. Personnel shall use force in accordance with law and agency written directives," the directive states.

The Sheriff's Office has suspended Cruz without pay for 81 hours and was referred to its Training Unit for retraining.

Cruz has been with the Sheriff's Office since August of 2017.

"At the Orange County Sheriff's Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards whether they are on duty or off duty. We are committed to serving this community with integrity and ensuring that any alleged misconduct is thoroughly investigated and that the results of that investigation are made public," Sheriff John Mina stated in a response to the investigation.

Dickson was charged with resisting an officer without violence, but those charges were later dropped, according to court documents.

Early in April of 2019, a man died after an Ocoee Police Department officer used a stun gun on him.