RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Two Riviera Beach officers were fired last year after they turned off their body cameras in a so-called "go dead" incident.
However, a Riviera Beach sergeant is now back on the job, patrolling the streets of the city after an arbitrator ruled in his favor.
Sgt. Brian Jackson's troubles began in June 2019, when he pulled over Anthony Goldwire for running a red light, near Goldwire's home in the Monroe Heights neighborhood.
Goldwire got out of his car when Jackson issued a warning.
"Get back in the car," Jackson said over a loudspeaker. "You are going to get tased."
Goldwire drove off, sideswiping Jackson's squad car.
That led to a manhunt where Goldwire abandoned his car when canine crews caught his scent. Then police surrounded Goldwire in the driveway of a home.
Jackson's supervisor, Capt. Edgar Foster, then issued a command to "Go dead! Go dead! Go dead! Go dead! Go dead! Go dead."
Crews shut off their body cameras.
Body camera video less than an hour later outside a hospital emergency room showed Goldwire's face badly bruised.
Jackson was fired Aug. 13 for failing to wear his body camera at all. He also told IA investigators that he punched Goldwire twice, believing he was reaching for a weapon. It turned out Goldwire was reaching for his cellphone.
Foster, fired Sept. 7, gave the "go dead" order, according to an internal affairs investigation obtained by Contact 5.
The head of the police union rushed to Jackson's defense.
"Maybe it's a policy violation, but it doesn't warrant termination for these body-worn cameras," Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association President John Kazanjian told Contact 5 in November after the firings. "These are brand new to policing."
WPTV asked the city of Riviera Beach if Jackson ended up retaining his rank of sergeant but did not get an answer.
WPTV also tried to reach Goldwire but he did not return our calls.
Foster, the other officer fired for the "go dead" incident, is also still trying to get his job back.
