St. Lucie County deputies reprimanded for making fun of one-armed man and excessive profanity at softball game
October 14th, 2009 by Post StaffST. LUCIE COUNTY — A St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy who said he made fun of a man with no arm at a softball game, and another deputy who was “discourteous” to the public each received a written reprimand, according to internal investigation records obtained Tuesday and an official.
The deputies, Thomas Johnson and Rigoberto Iglesias, were on a softball team sponsored by the jail’s food service provider during the March 8 incident, which involved two umpires.
The home plate umpire complained to sheriff’s officials that Johnson and Iglesias “behaved improperly” at the game at Lawnwood Stadium.
The home plate umpire said Johnson “insulted” a base umpire, who has a single arm, “by removing one arm from the sleeve of his shirt, placing the arm inside his shirt, thus indicating that he only had one arm as well.”
The home plate umpire also said Iglesias was “rude and belligerent” during and after the game. The home plate umpire said Iglesias used “excessive profanity both on and off the field.”
The Sheriff’s Office got several similar complaints the day following the game.
The findings indicated Iglesias said he argued with the public “while engaged in an activity that clearly identified him as a member of the Sheriff’s Office.”
The findings also showed Johnson said he removed his arm from his shirt sleeve and put it in the shirt’s body “in an effort to imitate or make fun of a handicapped person who only has one arm.”
The base umpire with a single arm, however, told sheriff’s officials “both teams were vocal but that is a part of sports and emotions can run high from time to time,” records show.
He didn’t feel any sheriff’s employees should be disciplined. The deputies’ actions, he said, weren’t different from those of “any other team on a given game night.”
Johnson and Iglesias, both 33 at the time and employed for several years, each was issued a written reprimand in June.
In a separate investigation involving improper registration for off-duty details, Iglesias received a four-day suspension. He also was suspended from working such details for a year.
By Will Greenlee
Tags: deputies, discourteous, game, internal investigation, lawnwood stadium, reprimand, softball, St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, umpire
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October 14th, 2009 at 10:25 am
The saddest part of this story is the remark from the one armed man stating that this was no different than at any other game. To be handicapped and then becoming accustomed to adults making fun of him is showing the children that were undoubtedly at the game, that its ok to be mean to those that are different. A written reprimand in their file should also include a mandatory session with the troops who lost a limb and having to witness them recovering from their wounds at different stages of their recovery. This is the crap that makes the good cops look so damn bad. What a slap to the profession. Hope they are proud of their actions and people wonder why cops aren’t trusted- this is why.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Just cops being cops, get over it.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I used to play softball in the treasure coast area and have come across this umpire many times and yes this a typical game for him. When he is not umpiring you can find him playing the game of softball. Yes with one arm. i bet he can out play the cop. he is a great guy wish i could say the same for the cop that made fun of him and hides behind his badge.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Being handicapped is tough enough, but then you have to deal with jerks like that.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
What an asinine remark from Lt. Lupo. “cops being cops, get over it.” Yes, they are cops but to make fun of a handicapped person? No, that is no excuse. I think they deserve a harsher punishment than being written up. Let them serve some community service helping the handicapped. If I were a cop (and I have several relatives who are) I’d be insulted by their actions. They are suppose to be pillars of our society and they’re acting like a**holes.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Denise I agree with you- when you have Lt. Lupo as a “role model” no wonder this crap is allowed- I guess unless it happens to one of THEIR relatives. Its not cops will be cops- i know GOOD cops who would NEVER do this- Lt Lupo you stand corrected: assholes will be assholes, and you are a Lt Asshole; by the way we pay these guys- and somehow they don’t remember that.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
St Lucie cops - they are useless morons who use their badges to get away with abusing the public!! These two idiots deserve fines and community service but in St Lucie you get away with anything!!