Two Florida Correctional Officers Arrested

[Waxd0g]

Two Florida Correctional Officers Arrested

Posted: October 7th, 2008 09:14 AM EDT

Story by news4jax.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --

Two Jacksonville Sheriff's Office corrections officers were arrested after investigations of separate incidents inside the Duval County jail.

Lonnie Richard Snodgrass, 39, is accused of battery against a pregnant woman -- a second-degree felony.

The female inmate said that in early August, Snodgrass grabbed her by the shirt, pushed her hard into an elevator, causing her stomach to hit the back rail.

"The officer that was inside the glassed-in (control) room left the room, went outside the room, placed his hands on this female and then physically threw her in the elevator," Undersheriff Frank Mackasey said.

Witnesses said they heard a loud "thud."

Later in August, Officer Felipe Garcia, 40, is accused of using a Taser gun to threaten an inmate before hitting him.

According to the police report, a lieutenant walked by a holding cell and saw Garcia place his issued Taser gun under the chin of the inmate and yell, "I will taze you (expletive)." Garcia then allegedly slapped the inmate on his face.

"This is the kind of the part of the job that we don't like, but we're committed to it because when your loved one gets put in that jail or is arrested on the street, you need to have confidence that they're going to be treated in a professional manner," Mackesey said.

Both officers are also accused of lying on forms they filled out after the incidents, drawing a charge of official misconduct by a public servant.

Mackesey said it wants corrections officers to protect themselves, but within the law.

"It's not whether or not you use force, because we're in the use-of-force business," Mackesey said. "We have to do it. It's how you use that force. We will stand behind our employees 100 percent if they do it right and it's reasonable."

Both officers are suspended without pay pending the outcome of their criminal cases.

[dragonsgt]

"When your loved one gets put in jail or is arrested on the street, you need to have confidence that they're going to be treated in a professional manner." OMG

There are people out there who get off on some type of power trip, that's life. It's unfortunate and should be addressed. And, not to give an excuse, but maybe it's STRESS!!! But, I got to tell you that I am REAL short on sympathy for "their loved ones".
Heaven forbid that the families of criminals should have to worry at night that "their loved ones" aren't being treated in a professional manner. And, by all means let's make it as hard as possible for anyone else trying to do their job and aren't on a power trip.

I am certain now that I have gone insane. Has anyone found my mind?

[JamnJim18]

I have seen situations where officers know a prisoner/arrestee and they foolishly joke around with them by pretending to be "using force" and it has gone to far. For an example, a officer was pointing his taser at a "friend" while arresting him on a Warrant, and the taser trigger was accidently pressed and the guy was zapped, hit the concrete floor and cracked his head. Fortunately, the guy went to the hospital and was alright, but just imagine what would have happened if he wasn't? Oh and the kicker is, the officer that did it, happened to be the Chief Deputies son...so it was all swept under the rug...

Power tripping ass monkeys...

[OfficerPedde]

See there goes another example where the inmate have tons of rights. I continuously fail to see where the rights of the victims are. I don't think it's very "professional" being a citizen to rob, rape, steal, deal drugs, murder ect... So what point is that dude really trying to make?

[dragonsgt]

I don't think he knows what his point is. Like I have said before--the convicts (there, I said it) left their rights at the door.

[notallweregot]

I am not disagreeing so please don't take it that way but what about the ones wrongfully convicted. Florida is having more and more inmates being released due to being the wrong person convicted. Those people have lost their rights as well.

[dragonsgt]

When convicts are being wrongfully convicted we should look to our legal system. And, for all the ONE being wrongfully convicted there are MILLIONS out there walking the street because of some technical problem with the TV set. As science becomes more adept at identifying DNA, etc., there will be less and less wrongfully convicted and more and more sent to jail; however, as long as convicts know they will walk away with a slap on the hand and CO's can't do anything to keep them in check (including protecting themselves), the entire system is on a fast track to nowhere.

And, ofcourse we always hear about it when an officer does something wrong, but what about the thousands who go to work everyday and do exactly what they are supposed to do and go home at night? No parades for them.

[notallweregot]

I agree with all the officers that are doing good and doing their job I try to say soemthing. I am not a parade or anything close. But I do try to praise publicly and make a big deal of the good doers and hopefully that will make others want to do good as well. But we also have to look with the officers doing wrong, they also know that they get out of things with a slap on the wrist, such as the officers that were arrested by the feds for bringing in drugs to the inmates, they were let off charges dropped. Will they do it again.....most likely.

[dragonsgt]

If CO's ever get the credit they deserve for doing a GREAT job it will be amazing, because then Joe Public will have to be aware of their job and most of the general population does NOT want to know what goes on after CONVICTS step away from the judge. You should look at the post of "Fogotten Officer" and you will see why I am so passionate. There are always going to be a few bad apples in any barrel, however, the bad apples are the ones you hear about.

People tend to generalize, when they hear about an Officer doing something bad, they go to that place in their head where all Officers are bad--and some are, but how about a little praise now and then? How about something POSITIVE for the officers to look forward to when they go to work? How about we remember these places are not Country Clubs, they are PRISONS. We should not sweep the bad under the rug, but we should put more emphasis (sp?) on the good work being done.

If these guys deserve being punished and actually comitted the crimes they are accused of, then so be it, they get punished just like everyone else.