HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Two deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office are on administrative leave without pay, and a cadet has been fired following arrests in separate domestic violence cases over the past three days.
Hillsborough detention deputy cadet arrested for domestic violence battery: HCSO
WATCH: Kylie McGivern's report
On March 22, the Zephyrhills Police Department arrested Ivan Feliciano Heredia, detention deputy cadet at HCSO, for Domestic Violence Battery.
The St. Petersburg Police Department arrested HCSO Deputy Brian Juliano on March 24. According to HCSO, detectives in St. Pete say, "Juliano was in a verbal and physical altercation with a woman, during which he threatened her with a firearm, preventing her from leaving the residence or calling 911 for help."
Then, on March 24, the Pasco Sheriff's Office arrested Deputy Dayton Thomas for an incident in Port Richey. HCSO said, according to investigators, "Thomas was involved in a domestic-related altercation during which the victim sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment."
Tampa Bay 28 Reporter Blake Phillips took the details to former Miami-Dade County Court Judge Jeff Swartz.
Swartz says, the details are some of the most violent he has ever read.
"This is as violent a situation as I've seen with a police officer who didn't kill the person that he was having the argument with. This is pretty violent stuff. If everything in the affidavit is true," says Swartz.
"What occurred this week at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is very disappointing to the entire staff, to Sheriff Chad Cronister, and to all of us here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. We have thousands of men and women that come to work every day to uphold the integrity of the sheriff's office, of the community, and to the citizens of Hillsborough County. And as a whole agency, we are deeply disappointed on the actions of three deputies that happened this week since March 22nd all the way through last night," Chief Deputy Frank Losat said on Wednesday.
When asked about the screening process to hire a candidate, Losat said, "We have a very robust and intensive background investigation besides anybody getting hired, whether it's a professional staff employee or a sworn employee on the detention side, or the Department of Patrol Services, either side, very robust, background investigation, home visits, polygraph, employment verifications with other employees where they used to work, very intense. One-on-one interviews, they have to interact with other employees prior to their employment as well, so other employees within the sheriff's office can gauge the type of person this is before we hire them."
Losat said that if anything had popped up during the initial screening process for the three employees arrested, "they would not be employees here at the sheriff's office."
I-Team Reporter Kylie McGivern has investigated officer-involved domestic violence and a case involving HCSO that sparked a recent lawsuit.
Father of Hillsborough deputy killed in murder-suicide files lawsuit against sheriff
HCSO Deputy Abigail Bieber was shot by her boyfriend, Detective Daniel Leyden, four years ago, before he turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide.
At the time, it was was the third murder-suicide involving Hillsborough County deputies within five years.
Wife sent text messages to friend before she was allegedly killed by her husband, a HCSO deputy
Sheriff: Hillsborough deputy kills family, alerts fellow deputies over radio, then kills himself
Surveillance video shows deputy in triple murder-suicide was armed outside victim’s condo
Abby's father, Bruce Bieber, told the I-Team more needs to be done to prevent officer-involved domestic violence, including implementing specific policies in law enforcement agencies across the state.
On Wednesday, Chief Deputy Frank Losat answered questions following the latest arrests:
I-TEAM REPORTER KYLIE MCGIVERN: "There has been a push for more training and protocols within HCSO when it comes to deputies and incidents that specifically involve officer-perpetrated domestic violence. Are there any plans for any additional trainings, anything along those lines,internally?”
CHIEF DEPUTY FRANK LOSAT: "So from the time these employees are hired, on the sworn side of the law enforcement academy, they go through an intense, state-mandated FDLE program through the academy that spans several months, upward of 10 months. They get training at various sections through that academy. Once they graduate, they get additional training when they go into field, training status too, so they get on-the-job training when they become a deputy and they're in the training status. So, once again, they get additional training with field work. Once that's completed, they get yearly and bi-yearly training, with additional training that we are mandated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as well. On top of that, there are also incentive classes that they can take, which are called advanced training classes, that these deputies are able to take too, so there's plenty of training set up for them to take. We should not be having these type of incidences and arrests at the sheriff's office."
I-TEAM REPORTER KYLIE MCGIVERN: “Is any of that specific to officer-involved in domestic violence?”
CHIEF DEPUTY FRANK LOSAT: “It it's a general class and training. It all stems around the state statute for domestic violence. Everybody is held, whether you're an employee or you're a citizen, you are held to that statute of what violates that statute. If they're on their days off, or even if they're employed, or they're working at the time and they violate a Florida state statute, we will take action. We will be transparent. The proper action will be taken, just like we did with the two that were arrested. They were immediately put on admin leave without pay.”
I-TEAM REPORTER KYLIE MCGIVERN: “Do you see this as more of a systemic problem?”
CHIEF DEPUTY FRANK LOSAT: “I think it's an individual um problem with these um two deputies, OK? People have problems in their personal lives, OK? We arrest hundreds of people throughout the year. They all have jobs in the community, they have jobs, we arrest them, we are no different. These deputies employees have family issues, but there are avenues and ways to address those issues, if you have them.”
I-TEAM REPORTER KYLIE MCGIVERN: “What do you say to victims who may be concerned or have fear of calling a law enforcement agency, some that may employ their abuser?”
CHIEF DEPUTY FRANK LOSAT: “There should be no fear. They will receive the necessary help. They will, there are programs available we can remove you from that situation. All these programs and resources that are. Around the whole state have places you can live, resources for children if children are involved there's financial help through other organizations, so there are outlets people have to be willing to go get the help. Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength that you can do something to overcome this. We deal with this every day. Whether it's victims in domestic violence, mental health, that we know about, is a big problem. There are resources. We beg these people, employees, citizens, anybody, go get the help. The resources are out here, and most of the time they are free. They are provided. You have to take the initial step to do it."
Jeff Swartz told Phillips, that the cases he saw when he sat on the bench, indicated the same.
"I saw percentage-wise far more civilians. I saw a few police officers in my time," Swartz says, "Unfortunately, when they're police officers, it becomes a bigger story than when it's just some guy."
Swartz added that cases like these, should never be overlooked.
"It does bother me when people who are trained to protect and serve. Allow their tempers to get the best of them when they are trained not to lose their tempers," says Swartz, "I don't see a judge in Pinellas County giving him any kind of break just because he's a police officer or just because it's domestic violence."
St. Pete police chief addresses how domestic violence cases are handled after officer is arrested
An internal investigation will determine whether the two arrested deputies remain employed.
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Kylie McGivern works tirelessly to get results for the people of Tampa Bay. Her reporting has exposed flaws in Florida’s corrections system and unemployment process. Reach out to Kylie and our I-Team if you need help holding state leaders accountable.
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