KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Three Kissimmee police officers were relieved from duty Thursday pending the outcome of criminal and internal investigations involving the officers’ testimony about a drug bust.
The department received information from the State’s Attorney’s Office that there might have been false testimony in court.
State Attorney Jeff Ashton said it’s the first such case that he can recall during his term.
His office is now reviewing other open cases involving the suspended officers.
The case stems from surveillance video showing several Kissimmee police officers entering a room at the Tropicana Motel last November.
The public defender’s office said the video doesn’t match what one officer testified to in court or wrote in a police report.
The report said the officer approached the room alone and knocked on the door, and a man inside turned over a bag of marijuana.
Kissimmee police suspended officers Danielle Hall, Felix Ecgevarria and Taylor McFee, with pay, but it’s unclear which officers are in the video.
“Perjury in an official proceeding has to be treated seriously, no matter who does it,” Ashton said.
The report said officers arrested a man for possessing 29 grams of marijuana, but prosecutors dropped the charges once the video surfaced.
“You can bet every criminal defense attorney is going to review their cases and find out whether these officers have been involved as witnesses in their case, and you can bet they're going to exploit it to the best of their ability,” said WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer.
Officials said information available to the public about the internal investigation is limited in order to provide due process to those involved.
The Street Crimes Unit is suspended, and remaining uninvolved members were reassigned to other areas of the agency.
Officials said the investigation will not jeopardize the quality of service in the community.