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Orange County deputy suspended after excessive force incident

ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orange County deputy was suspended for two weeks without pay after investigators determined he used excessive force when he used a Taser on a man standing in front of him, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputy Ayler Cruz was responding to a reported aggravated battery in September 2018 along the 1600 block of Ridge Point Drive when the incident occurred.

Body camera video shows Cruz getting out of his squad car and ordering a man, who officials identified as 25-year-old Tevion Dickson, to get on the ground.

Moments later, Cruz deployed a Taser on Dickson, the video shows.

Cruz arrested Dickson for resisting arrest without violence following the incident, but prosecutors dropped the charge a few months later, court records show.

Internal affairs investigators determined Cruz violated department policy by using more force than was necessary, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards whether they are on duty or off duty. We are committed to serving this community with integrity and ensuring that any alleged misconduct is thoroughly investigated and that the results of that investigation are made public,” said Sheriff John Mina in a statement.

OCSO hired Cruz in August 2017. He is assigned to the uniform patrol division.

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