A Florida police officer has been suspended for pushing and slapping a homeless man at a bus terminal over the weekend.
Victor Ramirez, of Fort Lauderdale police department, was placed on leave with pay on Monday after a video of the incident surfaced on YouTube, which had been recorded by a witness at the scene, the Associated Press reported.
"If the officer is wrong, I can assure you and the public that this agency and this department is going to do whatever it needs to do to assure that that doesn't happen again, and it's not a reflection of the men and women in this agency," Captain Frank Sousa said.
On Sunday afternoon, the Fort Lauderdale officer stopped the homeless man, identified as Bruce Laclair, while he was walking through a bus station at Broward Bus Terminal. Upon inquiring and learning that Laclair was going to use the restroom, the two walk back and forth together for a few moments.
According to the shocking footage, Ramirez can be seen holding the 58-year-old man's arm before he suddenly shoves him to the ground. Laclair swears at the officer, then tells him he wants to "go pee."
"Relax," Ramirez says, pointing at Laclair, who remains on the ground. "I'm telling you right now what is going to happen. You're not supposed to go pee here."
After a heated exchange between the pair, Ramirez attempts to lift Laclair off the pavement, before slapping him hard across the face when he resists, according to UK Mirror.
"I'm not f***ing around with you!" Ramirez says to a stunned Laclair. "I tell you what to do and you do it. It's that simple."
Following the emergence of the video on Feb. 22, an internal investigation has been started at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in Florida. Suspension with pay is standard procedure when an officer comes under investigation.
Since signs around the bus station warned people not to loiter in the area, Laclair was charged with trespassing but released on Monday evening.
Meanwhile, a news conference will be held on Tuesday morning, police spokeswoman Tracey Figone said in a statement, The Huffington Post reported.
