‘F—king Bleed!’: White Florida Cop Behind Bars After Body Camera Footage Captured Him Punching Black Man In Custody
A Florida police officer has found himself on the other side of the law after he was caught hitting a man in custody.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters announced the arrest of one of his officers, 43-year-old Shane Saydek, during a news conference on Tuesday.
He is the sixth JSO employee to be arrested this year.
Initial Arrest
On Monday, Waters said Saydek arrested Kaashif Griffin, 43, for possession of an open container in a vehicle and resisting an officer.
Griffin “was extremely intoxicated,” and Saydek was “becoming more frustrated with him,” Waters said.
In the body camera footage shown during the news conference, Saydek accused Griffin of scratching him. But it appeared Griffin did not resist or ignore Saydek’s orders.
“Imma tell you one more time. You curl your f—king finger and reach at me again and make me f—king bleed, imma punch you in the f—king head,” Saydek said in the video.
You then see Saydek forcefully grab Griffin’s cuffed hands and place them on the patrol car to collect fingerprints.
The officer then asks the detained to “stop moving your fingers” before he begins punching Griffin in the face.
“I told you, I warned you multiple times, you’re getting a punch if you keep f—king grabbing me and moving your f—king fingers,” Saydek said in the video.
Saydek hit Griffin twice.
Sheriff’s Office Finds Out
Waters said the other arresting patrol officer who witnessed the encounter reported Saydek’s actions to officials. The agency is now seeking his termination.
“He’s not posing a threat,” Waters said, referring to Griffin. “There’s nothing going on that’s a problem.”
Waters added that, while disappointed in Saydek’s behavior, the sheriff’s office will not change how officers are trained.
“Our JSO policy and training already make it abundantly clear that Saydek’s behavior is illegal,” the sheriff said. “Saydek may very well have been frustrated during his interaction with this subject; however, his frustration absolutely did not justify his actions.”
According to the sheriff’s office website, officers are strictly expected to maintain their composure and exercise patience, even when faced with combative or uncooperative suspects.
Officers are also required to control their temper and refrain from using “coarse or profane language.”
Gene Nichols, a local attorney not associated with the case, spoke with News4Jax about the arrest.
“It is not easy being the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. And they face pressures all the time. But this is why they go to the Academy. This is why the Sheriff’s Office trains them extensively on handling situations like this,” he said. “The officer had every opportunity to walk away.”
Atlanta Black Star reached out to the sheriff’s office to see if Griffin is still charged with resisting an officer but has not heard back.