The Alachua County Sheriff's Office suspended one of its sergeants for one day and reprimanded one of its deputies following an internal investigation of their use of an armored vehicle to perform a traffic stop in April.
On April 11, a sheriff’s office SWAT team pulled over 24-year-old Lucas Jewell on West University Avenue in a Lenco Bearcat Armored Personnel Carrier, which is an armored and bulletproof vehicle used by military and law enforcement agencies, after he flipped them off, according to an ASO report released Friday. The officers who pulled him over also believed he was receiving oral sex at the time from a female passenger who police said did not have a seatbelt on at the time.
Sgt. Kevin Davis was suspended for one day without pay, while deputy sheriff Richard Howell was given a written reprimand, according to the report. However, the punishment was for the misuse of a state traffic law that allows drivers to use hand signals instead of a vehicle’s electronic directional signals (Florida State Statute 316.157), not the use of the armored vehicle.
The report found Jewell’s use of the middle finger was considered a sign of protected speech, not an illegal hand signal.
The report also states that while the traffic stop was reasonable because officers suspected a crime was occurring, the use of the armored vehicle was in poor judgment even though it is not a violation of ASO policy.
“Sgt. K Davis is held accountable and responsible for the management of this incident overall,” the report stated. “He demonstrated inadequate supervision and lack of knowledge of ordinances, statutes and ACSO directives.”
In addition to the one-day suspension, Davis was also ordered to write a draft updating the policy regarding when specialty vehicles, such as the Bearcat, should be used for a traffic stop, according to the report.
