Orange County, FL — Harry Reid, a school police officer from Florida, has been fired for using excessive force while trying to arrest a student at Westridge Middle School. A viral video surfaced last week showing him yanking a 14-year old Black girl’s head back by her hair.
At one point, Reid was shown brandishing his baton at a crowd of nearby residents and students who were asking him to stop. He then yelled that they are all “stupid little children.”
Investigators said the incident happened when a fight between two groups of girls spilled over the apartment complex. Over the past two weeks, the student was involved in a series of altercations on and off the school campus.
Sheriff John Mina said in a press conference that after reviewing the video and the body cam footage, there was “no doubt in my mind” that the officer acted excessively. He added that there was no need for him to lay his hands on the girl.
“That deputy’s behavior and actions violated many policies, our standards, but more importantly, the visions and expectations I’ve set as sheriff and definitely will not be tolerated,” he said. “I want our deputy sheriffs to know that as well, and I hope this sends a strong message not only to our community but also to our deputy sheriffs.”
Sheriff Mina said Reid was immediately removed from the school and was fired later in the day of the incident. He also clarified the girl was not arrested but was briefly detained in a patrol car before being released to a parent.