Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Professional Standards Bureau
- Administrative Investigation Division

Deputy Alexander Edge
Age: 26
Date of Hire: 07/01/2013
Discipline: 15 day suspension without pay

Deputy Jason Fineran
Age: 32
Date of Hire: 10/20/2014
Discipline: 5 day suspension without pay

Jimarez D. Reed (Arrested)
DOB: 05/10/1992
Address: 7525 83^rd Street, Apartment 114, Seminole
Charges: One count of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, one count of Resisting an Officer with Violence and one count of Resisting an Officer without Violence.

What:
Two patrol deputies are disciplined following an investigation into an excessive use of force complaint. The complaint was made after deputies arrested a man on May 25, 2017.

When:
The incident occurred at about 11:37 p.m. on May 25, 2017.

Investigators received the excessive use of force complaint in October, 2017.

Deputies were notified of the disciplinary action on December 13, 2017.

Where:
The incident occurred near a residence located at 7171 79^th Street North, Pinellas Park.

Why/How:
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri held a press conference on December 13, 2017, to discuss the outcome of the excessive use of force investigation involving Deputy Alexander Edge and Deputy Jason Fineran following the arrest of 25-year-old Jimarez Reed on May 25, 2017.

Administrative Investigation Division investigators began their investigation in October 2017, after dash cam video of Reed’s arrest was brought to their attention.

After a thorough administrative investigation, the Administrative Review Board determined the following:

Deputy Edge violated agency policy pursuant to General Order 3-1.1, Rule and Regulation 5.15, Custody of Arrestees/Prisoners, by making physical contact with a person who he believed to be armed with a gun, in a cross fire situation, while his gun was holstered which was unnecessary, contrary to effective and accepted police practices and caused a use-of-force situation that could and should have been avoided.

Deputy Edge violated agency policy pursuant to General Order 3-1.1, Rule and Regulation5.4, Duties and Responsibilities, by failing to conduct a thorough investigation and failed to properly handle evidence.

Deputy Fineran violated agency policy pursuant to General Order 3-1.1, Rule and Regulation 5.4, Duties and Responsibilities, for intentionally muting the audio to his dash cam video during the incident in question.

The excessive use of force complaint against Deputy Fineran was unsubstantiated.

As a result of these violations, Sheriff Gualtieri said Deputy Edge will receive a 15 day suspension without pay and Deputy Fineran will receive a 5 day suspension without pay.

Video from the Sheriff’s press conference can be viewed on our YouTube page here: https://youtu.be/IOxtHvuOTQoi