OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office said “several things" could have been handled differently in the 2024 arrest of NFL Hall of Fame Defensive Lineman Warren Sapp, according to an after action report WPTV obtained from a public records request.
Sapp filed a “notice of claim” with Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office asking for $20 million in damages. His attorney’s claim deputies violated Sapp’s civil rights after he was “maliciously and falsely arrested and illegally detained” by the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Department in February 2024.
WATCH: Report shows multiple issues with Warren Sapp arrest
The report shows deputies had problems with their equipment, didn’t give clear verbal direction and didn’t follow proper procedures when making an arrest.
According to the report, a lieutenant was directed to review the circumstances of the arrest. He said he “observed several things that could have been handled differently” in the report and discussed the actions taken during this instance with the deputies involved in the incident and their supervisors.
HOW DID SAPP GET ARRESTED?
According to the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office Computer Assisted Dispatch, the agency received calls about multiple “high end” and “luxury” vehicles driving at “over 100 mph” almost creating crashes in the county. According to body camera footage, a deputy pulled one car over after she said her radar caught him driving at around 65 mph where the speed limit was 35mph.
The driver was a man from New Jersey. But body camera footage WPTV received from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office shows a crowd started to form around the gas station after the deputy couldn’t print the citation on her ticket. NFL Hall of Fame Defensive Lineman Warren Sapp was part of the crowd and started talking with the deputy before being detained.
'SEVERAL THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED DIFFERENTLY'
The after action report said supervisors had been made aware that when any vehicles are issued to a deputy, they should ensure that all their equipment, including the laptops and printers, are working properly.
“I explained that educating the public is the main objective of any traffic stop,” Lieutenant Bryan Lowe wrote. “In the event that “we” have an equipment failure on a traffic stop that can not be quickly resolved, we should either hand write a citation or let the violator go with a verbal warning and provide corrective action of the violation.”
WATCH: Body cam footage shows deputy had issues printing ticket
According to body camera footage, the deputy told Sapp he was being detained for interfering with an investigation after he didn’t tell deputies his name.
The after action report said neither deputy have a clear command to Sapp informing him he was interfering with a traffic stop or gave him verbal commands to step away. The report said Sapp was only instructed to stop.
“I explained we are obligated to explain how to handle or pay a uniform traffic citation prior to handing a violator a citation,” wrote Lieutenant Bryan Lowe. “After that is done, we are not to argue or continue interaction with a violator. Any further involvement on our part is an unlawful continuance of a traffic stop and any subsequent evidence or action (arrest) would not be allowed in court."
WATCH: Crowd chants 'set him free' as Sapp detained
According to the investigation narrative WPTV received from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy said he tried to put the man in a patrol car after the crowd started chanting “Set him free," but he continued to “tense up and plant his feet to the ground” before Sapp was placed under arrest.
But the after action report also said after Sapp was placed in restraints and he was never patted down for weapons. The report said if this was done his identification could have been located, which potentially could have changed the outcome of this situation.
I reviewed proper pat down or frisk of a subject being detained by law enforcement. It was explained that any subject being detained during a lawful encounter should be patted down or frisked for weapons for officer safety, and to do so prior to placing someone inside patrol vehicle.
Ariel Mitchell, an attorney for Sapp, said state law requires she send a letter to the government agencies before filing a suit. She said on the phone she has to wait six months to file a lawsuit and hasn’t heard back from the county as of Friday. Mitchell said she has received the insurance policy for the sheriff’s office.
The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office said it will not comment as the case is under litigation.
