Osceola County

Task force discusses role of SROs after deputy body-slammed student while breaking up fight

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A newly formed task force met for the first time Wednesday to discuss the role of school resource officers within the School District of Osceola County.

The meeting came after Osceola County Deputy Ethan Fournier body-slammed Taylor Bracey -- a 16-year-old Liberty High School student -- to the ground while trying to stop a fight between her and other girls.

Read: Mother of teen body-slammed by school officer says her daughter still has headaches, memory loss

Click here to see video of the incident.

“It did not look good, and there’s no way around it,” School Board Member Julius Melendez said.

Read: FDLE asking for the publics help with their investigation into an Osceola SRO’s use-of-force on student captured on video

Melendez, who formed the task force, said he began questioning what policies are in place for SROs after watching the video.

“They told me they don’t have one on the books,” he said. “What they have are SRO contracts.”

Read: Students, activists speak out against Osceola County student being body-slammed by school resource officer

The contracts between the school district the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office outline topics including grounds for dismissal, but Melendez said there needs to be a written policy in place.

Kissimmee police Chief Jeffrey O’Dell attended Wednesday’s meeting to discuss his agency’s use-of-force policy and “to give the other side of the story.”

Read: Civil rights attorneys join family in call for justice after teen body-slammed by school officer

He said most community members prefer to have SROs at school.

“If an SRO makes a mistake, we deal with the individual,” O’Dell said. “But when they see the entirety of what these SROs mean in schools, I think the benefits outweigh a mistake.”

Jason Kelly

Jason Kelly, WFTV.com

Jason Kelly joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2014. He serves as the station's Digital Executive Producer.