Cop caught on his own body cam.

[John Doe Jr]

Deputy quits after bodycam appears to catch him stealing

By Eric Levenson and Chuck Johnston, CNN
Updated 1:57 PM ET, Tue January 31, 2017

 
Deputy John Braman resigned on Monday amid allegations that he stole money from "multiple" DUI suspects.
 
Body camera video apparently shows Deputy John Braman taking money out of a DUI suspect's wallet

Sheriff Mike Chitwood called him a "thieving idiot," a newspaper reports.

(CNN)  A 10-year veteran of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida resigned on Monday not long after officials released body camera video that allegedly shows the deputy taking money from the wallet of a DUI suspect.

Deputy John Braman, 33, was placed on paid administrative leave last Wednesday as the sheriff's office investigated "multiple" allegations that he had taken money from defendants during DUI arrests.  Braman resigned on Monday in a one-sentence letter sent through an attorney, which CNN has obtained.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood had harsh words for Braman, calling him a "thieving idiot" in an interview with the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

"He represents an infinitesimal number of bad cops around the country but when this gets played in the news it makes everyone who wears the badge have to defend themselves against the actions of this idiot," Chitwood told the News-Journal.  "And that's what he is, a thieving idiot."

Body camera video released by the sheriff's office allegedly shows Braman taking two $100 bills out of a DUI suspect's wallet while the suspect was cuffed in Braman's vehicle, CNN affiliate WESH reports.  Braman then put the wallet in a plastic property bag, and that $200 in cash was not inventoried later, a defense attorney for the DUI suspect told WESH.   A call and an email to an attorney for Braman were not immediately returned.

Braman was first hired by the department in 2007 and had been assigned to road patrol, the sheriff's office said.

"Integrity is the cornerstone of any law enforcement officer's career," Chitwood said in a statement. "Once you lose your integrity, you've lost your ability to be an effective law enforcement officer."
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting a criminal investigation in conjunction with the State Attorney's Office, officials said.

Braman had been awarded the Medal of Valor and Purple Heart and was named the sheriff office's Deputy of the Year after he was shot twice in the line of duty in November 2011. Braman and a fellow deputy were able to subdue and disarm the suspect after both had been shot, according to the sheriff's office.

http://cnn.it/2jSE48L

[Willy]

He'll probably blame it on PTSD. Doesn't make much sense that he would steal money while video recording himself unless he wanted to be caught.

[AQUAMAN]

I think 99% of the video body-cam results are erased/destroyed, unless they see it as useful in the action and making their side look the best. How does a cop with 10 years service and all those awards not have fair compensation for his work? Greedy is all I can imagine, very greedy. And after catching him in the act on video, you can't put him under immediate arrest?

[XLFD]

Volusia County Sheriff Chitwood should be even more highly commended than Deputy Braman is excoriated.  News like this would not come from a sheriff's office that would look at footage of their own deputies stealing and try to unethically cover it up. 

Though I'm sure the victims who had their money taken and wanted it back were a very helpful impetus in the sheriff's decision.

[AQUAMAN]

Was this Deputy on paid administrative leave before or after he quit? And why this for punishment either way? He should have been immediately arrested, then fired imho. IHAN, did you find the MSP dashcam video in our archives yet of the Bill Marble death? If not, maybe X can re-post that, it was quite interesting for civilians.

[stump]

The low life steeling cop cam video probably came to light when the lawyer from the drunk guy requested by FOIA the video of the arrest. Wether the drunk recalled he didn't spend the $200 bucks  on beer or not it was noticed in the video that he didn't.  This cop should be thrown in the slammer.

[AQUAMAN]

Article says Fla. Dept. LE and State Attorneys Office is making an investigation right now. Probably months before they get around to it and say something further, sad. He should have been arrested, not just walk away. Btw, this is near Daytona, Fl., where many tourists are this time of year, and usually with plenty of money to vacation on.