Florida Sheriff Stands Behind Deputy in Video

A Florida sheriff standing behind one of his deputies following criticism over a body camera video that shows the arrest of a shoplifting suspect by a deputy outside a mall.

In a Facebook post Friday, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco commended the deputy for his professionalism and urged the public to watch the entire unedited video of the incident before an opinion is formed.

He said that the sheriff’s office has received threats from people that viewed edited portions of the video and sensationalized headlines that were distributed by the media.

The 25-minute-long unedited video shows the arrest of 29-year-old Tiffany Tebo on Feb. 19 outside of a Beall's store on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel.

The deputy is seen attempting to taken the woman into custody before a struggle ensues and the deputy repeatedly tells the woman to put her hands before her back and stop resisting him.

Tebo was injured and started to bleed during the sruggle and the deputy threatened to use his Taser on her unless she cooperated.

The deputy handcuffs her and then calls for an ambulance as the video continues to roll.

Here's the statement released by Sheriff Nocco:

To the vast and overwhelming majority of the citizens who support us, thank you. We are blessed and humbled by your words of encouragement and appreciation. You are the driving force that keeps us going and we will remain vigilant.

Last weekend, a Pasco Deputy responded to a shoplifting incident in Wesley Chapel. While making contact with the suspect, our deputy attempted to take the suspect into custody by first giving verbal commands with which she did not comply. The deputy then attempted to put handcuffs on her, at which time she still resisted and a confrontation ensued which resulted in an injury to the suspect. This entire incident could have been avoided had the suspect not stolen the product or had complied with the initial commands by the deputy. This was not the first interaction with law enforcement by the suspect. She has a lengthy criminal record and knows how the arrest process works. Unfortunately, she decided to resist.

Thankfully, our agency has implemented the body worn camera and the entire video demonstrates the deputy’s professionalism. He showed concern for the suspect by rendering aid, and his ability to clearly articulate to the suspect that had she complied initially she would have probably been released with a citation. Without the body worn camera, this deputy could have faced an internal affairs investigation. Every citizen should watch the entire video before passing judgment.

Our agency has received several threats by those watching only edited portions of the video released by the media and reading sensationalized headlines. It is sad that over the past several years, the law enforcement profession has been vilified. The people who are criticizing this incident are stereotyping an entire profession and their attacks are unjust. When we are wrong, we will hold ourselves accountable.

Before people judge an officers’ actions, I would ask how they would react in a split second decision, as our profession requires. We do not work in a static environment as portrayed by many police shows on television. The reality is, we make life and death decisions in a fraction of a second. When people do not comply to lawful orders, such as in this case, we cannot just turn around and walk away.

Some of the reasons we have implemented the body worn camera system is to be transparent and gather critical evidence for criminal cases. Despite some criticism we may receive, our satisfaction comes when we save a child from a sexual predator, a woman from an abusive spouse, and a neighborhood from criminal gangs and drug dealers. That is why we became law enforcement professionals, to protect and serve.

Chris Nocco