Two Winter Springs police officers are under criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after they allegedly falsely claimed they were attacked by a city employee.
Winter Springs’ police chief said those officers tried filing criminal charges against the city employee, even though nothing happened, which they said was proven from video taken inside City Hall.
“Frankly, it's scary. In this case, they targeted a city employee, but it could've been me, it could've been any one of our citizens, and that's what worries me most,” Winter Springs Mayor Charles Lacey said.
9 Investigates first started looking into the allegations last week, and since then, Lacey uncovered that an officer filed a report claiming the city’s finance director attacked him in a Jan. 25 staff meeting, and a second officer provided a statement backing him up.
“The actions that were alleged never occurred, never any chance they could have occurred, and most importantly, FDLE has looked at that evidence and has concurred with that,” Lacey said.
From the area of the commission chambers in which those officers were allegedly standing, there are two cameras with clear vantage points of the room. The mayor reviewed that footage and said it’s clear the city’s finance director wasn’t anywhere near those officers.
“I’m sick to my stomach right now. I’m disappointed,” Police Chief Kevin Brunelle said.
Due to the FDLE’s investigation, the video isn’t being released, and neither are the names of the officers. However, Brunelle says they are on unpaid administrative leave.
The state attorney’s office is also looped in on the situation.
Cox Media Group
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