The Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. — A top Hillsborough County deputy sheriff has been fired, and officials said his pending cases might be tainted after an internal investigation showed he might have wrongfully arrested drivers.
Daniel Brock, 38, was fired May 24 and the Sheriff’s Office rejected his written appeal the next day. An internal review showed that he might have falsified reports to portray innocent people as impaired drivers.
The State Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Brock, and a spokesman said it is unclear how the dismissal will affect pending cases.
“We feel we’re not in a position where we can use him as a witness,” said Mark Cox, spokesman for Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober.
“If he’s a critical witness, it will be difficult for us to go forward with a case.”
Brock could not be reached Saturday.
He arrested more than 300 motorists on impaired-driving charges from October 2005 to October 2006, officials said. He did not record the incidents on his in-car video camera for 40 percent of those cases. In other cases, the video evidence does not match Brock’s reports.
Prosecutors already have dropped charges in 65 of those cases.
Officials said Brock failed to follow standard procedures after DUI arrests. He relied on his memory to write reports and conducted DUI investigations with suspects in his patrol car.