GPD completes investigation related to officer behavior following the arrest of Terrell Bradley; three officers get written warnings, two officers get 5-day suspensions without pay, additional training, and 30 hours of community engagement
Press release from Gainesville Police Department
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division has concluded the investigation related to improper behavior following the arrest of Mr. Terrell Bradley on July 10, 2022. Consequently, five officers were identified as violating Gainesville Police Department Rules of Conduct by the Internal Affairs Unit.
The investigation concluded that three officers, Officer Snitselaar, Officer Johnson, and Officer Miller, were responsible for improperly taking photographs. Below are the findings and related disciplinary action for this violation.
Officer Snitselaar
Findings: The allegation that Ofc. Snitselaar used his personal phone to take a photo of his BWC video that displayed Bradley’s injury in violation of Gainesville Police Department General Order 40.14 Body Worn Camera Video Systems (BWC), is SUSTAINED.
Discipline: Corrective action in the form of a Written Warning. Ofc. Snitselaar is reminded that continued violations similar in nature will result in progressive discipline, up to and including dismissal.
Officer Johnson
Findings: The allegation that Ofc. Johnson used his department-issued cell phone to take a photo of Bradley’s injury and failed to submit that photo into evidence is in violation of Gainesville Police Department General Order 83.5 Digital Photography is SUSTAINED.
Discipline: This is Ofc. Johnson’s first violation of this policy and he will receive corrective action in the form of a Written Warning. Ofc. Johnson is reminded that continued violations of this nature will result in progressive discipline, up to and including dismissal.
Officer Miller
Findings: The allegation that Ofc. Miller used his personal cell phone to take a photo of Bradley’s injury, while displayed on Ofc. Johnson’s issued cell phone, and failed to submit that photo into evidence in violation of Gainesville Police Department General Order 83.5 Digital Photography is SUSTAINED.
Discipline: This is Ofc. Miller’s first violation of this policy and he will receive corrective action in the form of Written Warning. Ofc. Miller is reminded that continued violations of this nature will result in progressive discipline, up to and including dismissal.
While Internal Affairs conducted the above investigation, an inappropriate and insensitive conversation on the VisiNet message system between two officers was discovered. The VisiNet message system is a form of instant messaging between users who are logged into the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system. Upon reviewing the final report and reading the messages in their entirety, Chief Lonnie Scott immediately placed the two officers on paid administrative suspension. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that two officers, Ofc Milman and Ofc Shott, engaged in improper and insensitive communication. Below are the findings and related disciplinary action.
Officer Milman
Findings: Officer Milman’s and Officer Shott’s conversation through messages via the VisiNet system did not have an official GPD purpose. Additionally, this conversation was improper and insensitive toward an arrestee, Terrell Bradley, who suffered severe injuries during his arrest, causing him to lose his right eye. Therefore, the allegation of violation of Gainesville Police Department General Order 26.1 Rules of Conduct which states, in part, Department members will conduct themselves in a manner that does not bring discredit upon or adversely reflect upon the reputation of the Department, its members, the City of Gainesville, or the community (City Policy E-3, Rule 19: … Improper conduct or indecency, whether on or off the job which would tend to affect the employee’s relationship to his/her job, fellow workers’ reputations or goodwill in the community) is SUSTAINED.
Discipline: Officer Milman’s discipline shall consist of Written Instruction and Cautioning in the form of an Employee Notice, a 5-day (40-hour) suspension without pay, training from the City of Gainesville Office of Equity and Inclusion, removal from the Field Training Program, and completion of 30 hours of on-duty community engagement.
Officer Shott:
Findings: Officer Milman’s and Officer Shott’s conversation through messages via the VisiNet system did not have an official GPD purpose. Additionally, this conversation was improper and insensitive toward an arrestee, Terrell Bradley, who suffered severe injuries during his arrest causing him to lose his right eye. Therefore, the allegation of violation of Gainesville Police Department General Order 26.1 Rules of Conduct which states, in part, Department members will conduct themselves in a manner that does not bring discredit upon or adversely reflect upon the reputation of the Department, its members, the City of Gainesville, or the community (City Policy E-3, Rule 19: … Improper conduct or indecency, whether on or off the job which would tend to affect the employee’s relationship to his/her job, fellow workers’ reputations or goodwill in the community) is SUSTAINED.
Discipline: Officer Shott’s discipline shall consist of Written Instruction and Cautioning in the form of an Employee Notice, a 5-day (40-hour) suspension without pay, training from the City of Gainesville Office of Equity and Inclusion, and completion of 30 hours of on-duty community engagement.
Department members in violation of department policies and procedures will be held to the highest standard that GPD strives to maintain. The poor decisions made by the five officers identified in this investigation were addressed, and each officer was made aware of the impacts of such behavior and unprofessionalism. Conduct of this nature by employees of the Gainesville Police Department will not be tolerated.
Thank you Chief Scott for bringing out the truth as to officer behavior after the event. With all due respect, there are also obvious issues during the event that need to be addressed and current policy issues that may not be in the best interest of the community, GPD and the safety of alleged criminal activities by individuals in the community. There’s more to discuss here and I will be filing a lawsuit shortly for my case that happened two years ago with very serious issues with police conduct that has had and continues to affect my quality of life because no one gave my case an actual review of the evidence and it is far worse than what you have investigated here.
Sounds like you are the bully of your neighborhood! Willing to bet your neighbor chose not to participate in going forward with the charges. You think it’s ok to beat someone with a axe handle??
There was no beating by me to anyone. I called the police twice before on that neighbors threats
To harm me physically, you know, see something say something, but GPD said we didn’t see it so there’s nothing we can do. As they were telling me this, the alleged victims lover was himself filing an aggravated assault charge on that same person for threatening to kill someone. That alleged victim also hid the utility handle from the police and the SA. That’s called obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence. I could go on with the truth but what would be the point? You don’t need to know what happened as the verdict is already in. Truth has been set aside these days and facts have alternative facts. My intent is to have the truth revealed by the facts. Think what you want but you are wrong.
If you say so…….I read the police report 🤷🏼♀️
And that is exactly what I want everyone to compare to the BWC footage. Thank you Kiki.
If it is proven you are right I will be the first one to apologize to you!
Police reports aren’t always correct. We had an experience with a traffic ticket that went to court. When my husband obtained the police report (after the court date) there was all kinds of erroneous info on it. The judge rescheduled because the officer didn’t show up, and even the second time he didn’t show up he was charged with something he didn’t commit.
I hope you lose your lawsuit.
Why would you say that Ella? Does the truth and justice not matter to you. I pray you never experience what I’ve gone through. If you ever do though you WILL have a different opinion.
Ah! The effects of social media.
The punishment for pictures was more a result of the Vanessa/Kobe Bryant case than anything else.
Law enforcement has to worry more about social media and what people say than they do about being shot by criminals. I would go so far as to say officers are convicted with more speed by those two means than criminals are by the courts.
And they wonder why they have a recruitment/retention problem.
So the officers in the Loonie Scott regime don’t have first names? I’m surprised GPD isn’t using Marsy’s rule to hide the names completely.
Glad the thug was apprehended by the police. Good job officers!
Total bullcrap, no wonder no one wants to be a cop!
Having first hand knowledge of the Visi-net system, the back-and-forth messaging about the victims injuries and other foolish talk is on them.
When you hire on with GPD or any other agency that uses a similar system, you are made keenly aware of the ramifications from misuse of the system.
If you don’t want the world to know it, don’t message it on the screen.
Hey, apprehending criminals is not a pretty thing. Best thing: don’t break the law and cooperate. Being a cop is a very dangerous job and these criminals have guns and are bad people. Thank you law enforcement for all you do. I know it’s a tough job.
Fire Chief Scott immediately!