Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell (District 6) said today it is “extremely important” that the rights of Orange County citizens be protected, as the Sheriff’s Office investigates two recent incidents involving young minority boys.
Moore Russell, who is seeking re-election to the Board of Orange County Commission, was reacting to the outcomes of a news conference on Monday in which Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings supported his deputies’ actions and also proposed the creation of a Public Safety Committee.
“..It appears the Sheriff will investigate whether the officers on the scene were appropriate in their actions, Moore Russell said. “I look forward to hearing the results of the investigation. It is extremely important for me to know that the rights of each Orange County Citizen and their families are being preserved.”
According to Moore Russell, “the first incident involved several deputies who fired more than 100 bullets into his flesh, leaving the child lifeless.”
The other case relates to a 14-year-old Central Florida boy, charged with false imprisonment, which Demings said is now in the hands of the State Attorney’s Office.
Demings backed his deputies who recently arrested the teen who said he was only trying to help a three-year-old toddler find her mom. According to Demings, the decision by deputies to arrest the 14-year-old was based on the evidence collected, including the videotape of the incident and the decision by a judge that were was probable cause, reports clickorlando.com.
“What I would say to the young man is, I hope there is a learning opportunity here for him, but also, we’re not his adversary,” Demings said.
Moore Russell also said she would like to see the reinstatement of the Citizen Review Board (CRB), an independent board to review allegations of excessive force by deputy sheriffs, as opposed to the Sheriff’s creation of a Public Safety Committee.
“I prefer the CRB format because the County provided the Board their own attorney and dedicated County staff to provide the support services,” Moore Russell said. “..The Citizen Review Board will be independent of the Sheriff’s Department, if we utilize the previous format of the CRB.”
