Florida police officer drags woman into jail, is fired

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A police officer in Tampa, Florida, who was videotaped dragging a handcuffed woman into jail has been fired, authorities said.

An internal investigation determined that former officer Gregory Damon violated department policies during the Nov. 17 incident, the Tampa Police Department announced Tuesday in a news release.

The woman was being arrested for trespassing, according to the release. A body camera video shows her refusing to leave Damon’s vehicle while parked at the Orient Road Jail and telling the officer, “I want you to drag me.”

Damon then removes the woman from the vehicle and pulls her by the arm across a concrete floor, stopping once to tell her to get up but the woman refuses. Damon drags the woman to a doorway then buzzes for additional officers to assist him before the body camera video released by the Tampa Police Department cuts off.

The agency said it revised policy in 2013 to forbid officers from dragging uncooperative suspects on the ground. Officers should instead seek assistance from jail booking staff or other law enforcement, police said.

Damon had been with the Tampa Police Department since 2016.

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