The police officer who detained NFL player Tyreek Hill in Florida had racked up six suspensions and multiple reprimands before his encounter with the Miami Dolphins wide receiver, records from his agency show.
According to employee records reviewed by NBC, Danny Torres, the Miami-Dade police department officer who forcibly arrested and handcuffed Hill last Sunday, has a tainted disciplinary record that includes being suspended for as many as 50 days between 2014 and 2019.
Two of the suspensions were for five days each in February 2014 and February 2016 – as well as a pair of five-day suspensions in September 2016. Torres also had a 20-day suspension in October 2018 and a 10-day suspension in June 2019.
Additionally, NBC reports that the 27-year veteran received four written reprimands between March 1999 and September 2020. Torres, who has been placed on administrative duties since his arrest of Hill, was also involved in multiple other complaints at the police department, according to the outlet.
Most of the complaints have been cleared. However, eight have been listed as “sustained” – and include improper use of force and body camera, NBC reported.
Hill’s 8 September arrest before contributing to a Dolphins victory later in the day was filmed and widely circulated on the internet. It prompted outrage as online viewers saw police officers dragging the 30-year-old from a car after being pulled over for speeding and then being slow to roll his window down.
Torres could be seen on the video forcing Hill onto the ground, putting a knee in the middle of his back and handcuffing him.
Describing his experience, Hill said that police “beat the dog out” of him. He also admitted that he wishes he “could go back and do things a bit differently”, adding: “I could have let down my window in that instant.
“But the thing about me is, I don’t want attention. I don’t want to be cameras-out, phones-on-you in that moment. But at the end of the day, I’m human. I’ve got to follow rules. I’ve got to do what everyone else would do.”
Nonetheless, Hill called for Torres to be fired for his conduct during the arrest, saying: “Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. He’s gotta go, man.”
Following Hill’s arrest, James Reyes, the Miami-Dade county chief of public safety, said: “The actions displayed on video clearly do not meet the standard we expect from law enforcement, and are deeply concerning.
“I am committed to ensuring there is accountability for any officer misconduct identified in the course of the investigation, and we will continue to keep the community informed,.”