Broward County
Fort Lauderdale cop suspended after video shows him slapping homeless man
A Fort Lauderdale police officer was “relieved of duty with pay” Monday afternoon after a video surfaced on YouTube showing the officer pushing and slapping a homeless man at a Broward bus terminal, Fort Lauderdale police confirmed Monday night.
The video, posted by chitownchico87able, shows the officer — being identified by WSVN-7 as Victor Ramirez — throwing the man, identified by police as Bruce Laclair, to the ground.
The officer can be seen sporting bright blue gloves and holding Laclair’s arm before throwing him to the ground.
“Relax. I am telling you right now what’s going to happen,” he said as Laclair, wearing gray sweats, sat on the ground. “I’m escorting you out right now. You are not going to go pee. You are not supposed to be here.”
The officer tells him to get up and then he can be seen slapping him in the face. Laclair falls over.
“I’m not [expletive] around with you. Don’t [expletive] touch me,” he said. “Put your hands behind your back.”
The incident unfolded Monday at the Broward Central Bus Terminal off Broward Boulevard and Andrews Avenue Monday.
Detective Tracy Figone wrote in an e-mail the department was “aware of this video.”
“We became aware of it this afternoon,” she said. “The chief has been notified as well as the Office of Internal Affairs.”
She said Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Franklin Adderley will address the incident Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Figone said Laclair was arrested for trespassing. Records show he was out of jail by Monday night.
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