OPA-LOCKA, FLA. (WSVN) - An Opa-locka Police officer was terminated following an internal investigation into a 2021 incident in which, city officials said, he deployed a taser inside the police department, injuring a fellow officer.
The investigation into Sgt. Sergio Perez, which was initially paused due to criminal charges that were later dropped, resumed earlier this year.
In 2021, Perez had been charged with battery after he was accused of shocking his colleague with a Taser.
The co-worker who was zapped was rushed to the hospital.
After the battery charge was dropped, the inquiry into Perez continued and found multiple policy violations, leading City Manager Darvin Williams to accept Police Chief Kenneth Ottley’s recommendation to fire Perez.
In a statement, the city of Opa-locka said:
Opa Locka paused its internal affairs investigation because Perez had been criminally charged for the incident. After those charges were dropped in January, the investigation resumed, and multiple policy violations were determined to be sustained.
Perez was informed of his termination on Monday.
This is not the first time Perez has garnered headlines. The troubled officer has continued to work for years despite public, on-the-job scandals.
He was fired from the Miami Shores Police Department in 2006.
Also, he was previously connected to an incident that resulted in him being fired from the force for his role in a fatal wrong-way chase on Interstate 95 in April of 2013 that killed four tourists. He was later rehired by the department.
Several years later, Perez was arrested and accused of betraying the badge when authorities said, he was caught on camera tasing and dragging a special needs teen out of his home in Sept. 2020.
It involved body camera footage of Perez and other officers using a Taser on 19-year-old Jafet Castro before dragging him out of his home.
As a result of this incident, a civil case against the police department is pending.
Opa-locka officials will hold a news conference on Wednesday morning to discuss the matter further.
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