ORLANDO, Fla. — An officer who was fired for arresting two 6-year-olds at an Orlando charter school had a history of being reviewed for his behavior while on the job, according to case files.
School Resource Officer Dennis Turner was initially suspended for the arrest of a 6-year-old girl at Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy after a temper tantrum, according to the girl's grandmother.
"He said stand up and turn around and put my hands behind my back," the 6-year-old said. "And then they got the cuffs and put them on me."
An arrest report revealed that on Sept. 19, Turner was notified by staff that the girl "battered" three staff members by kicking and punching them. According to the report, one of the victims, staff member Beverly Stoute, stated the girl kicked her in the legs several times and punched her several times in both arms.
The report stated Stoute wanted to press charges and would testify in court, but she later told Channel 9 she didn't want to press charges and the report was inaccurate.
Channel 9 reviewed Turner's case file and found numerous internal affairs investigations, including one where a woman accused him of racial profiling. The woman said Turner at one point asked if she was related to Saddam Hussein.
In another investigation, video shows Turner allegedly shocking an alleged trespasser with a stun gun until the man collapsed to the ground. Turner was censured for continuing to pull the trigger of the weapon, even after the man collapsed.
Turner had been with the Orlando Police Department for 23 years before retiring and returning as a reserve officer.
Police Chief Orlando Rolón said he was "sick to his stomach" after hearing about the arrests and the ages of the children.
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