Deputy accused of child abuse fired

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A Broward Sheriff’s Office lawman who had been arrested for kid maltreatment successful 2019 has officially been fired from his position.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), erstwhile BSO Deputy Willard Miller has been terminated from the BSO aft their Internal Affairs investigators investigated an incidental that occurred 2 years agone involving a minor.

According to police, Miller is accused of slamming a 15-year-old pistillate student to the level astatine Cross Creek School successful Pompano Beach connected Sept. 25, 2019.

The incidental was captured connected schoolhouse surveillance video.

In the video, the pupil is seen taping Miller connected his limb arsenic helium was texting connected his compartment phone. Words were exchanged betwixt the 2 and the pupil walks to the different broadside of the room.

Shortly after, Miller past rushes crossed the room, grabs the miss and slams her to the ground.

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Miller turned himself successful connected 1 third-degree felony number of kid maltreatment without large bodily harm. He was besides suspended without wage by BSO, but Wednesday his firing was officially announced.

“He was terminated, effectual immediately,” said Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony.

Speaking Wednesday from BSO headquarters, Sheriff Tony described the actions of Miller arsenic egregious, particularly due to the fact that helium was moving successful a schoolhouse that cares for students with affectional and behavioral issues.

Tony said the actions of this erstwhile lawman were not a reflection of what the sheriff’s bureau stands for.

“There was nary justifiable origin to respond successful that substance arsenic a nonrecreational instrumentality enforcement serviceman with years of experience, with a multitude of grooming and antiaircraft tactics, and the quality to usage a lesser level of immoderate benignant of unit oregon adjacent connection that could’ve deescalated the concern from happening,” Tony said.

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According to Tony, determination volition beryllium a “zero-tolerance argumentation against specified maltreatment of powers” and his committedness is “unwavering.”

Local 10 News obtained BSO’s interior affairs study connected Miller, who it stated had conscionable gone done usage of unit grooming 4 months anterior to the incident, and had taken a week-long people for schoolhouse assets officers.

The study besides recovered that Miller turned disconnected his assemblage worn camera anterior to throwing the pupil to the ground, and ne'er issued a written study for wherefore helium felt this usage of unit was needed.

“To suffer each subject and temperament, wherever you could’ve perchance killed a child, is unacceptable,” Tony said.

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