HAINES CITY, Fla. — Dozens of people crowded into the lobby at the Haines City Police Department Tuesday, insisting on meeting with the Chief.
They’re demanding action be taken against at least one of the department’s officers who was involved in a traffic stop that turned violent about four weeks ago.
Organizers say they’ve become increasingly frustrated with the pace of the investigation.
The group wanted to hand deliver a grievance letter to Chief Greg Goreck. Instead, Deputy Chief Jay Hopwood told them Goreck was out of town this week for training, but that he’d forward their concerns.
“We’re still conducting a criminal investigation,” he assured them.
Members of the group say they are increasingly frustrated with the pace of an internal investigation stemming from a traffic stop in March.
Videos, shot by witnesses and nearby doorbell cameras, show Officer Justin Vazquez punching and later body-slamming Miranda Brundidge III against a car.
Since then, others have accused Vasquez of similar conduct in recent months, but they say those complaints were never forwarded up the chain of command.
When they tried to meet with City Council members to demand accountability, organizers say three meetings were postponed or canceled.
“There had to have been at least 10 or 15 people that had complaints in their hands from the Haines City Police department stationary,” Claude Holmes, who helped organize the group, said. “He’s saying there’s none, all these people have their complaints in their hands. So, what would you ask? Who dropped the ball?”
Haines City Police said they are unable to comment on open investigations but the demand letter from the group also calls for the termination of Vasquez, the reactivation of a police advisory board and for the Department of Justice to investigate as well.
Hopwood said the investigation into Vasquez’s alleged conduct was being impeded by Brundidge himself – because he’s declining to speak with them. Brundidge says Goreck made comments supporting Vazquez shortly after the videos were posted on social media and began to get public attention.
“It’s a lot of bias it seems as far as already favoring the officers or the people in the police department already,” Brundidge said. “So, it doesn’t seem like it would be a fair investigation.”
Hopwood assured the group Goreck would arrange to meet with them when he returned from a week of training.
If that doesn’t happen, Holmes said they would be back. And next time – in even greater numbers.
“Let them not respond,” he said. “They’ll see.”