The jogger who got detained for resembling a burglar has been offered a job at Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred in Volusia, Florida, where Joseph Griffin was jogging down the road when he was stopped by sheriff’s deputies.
As Sheriff Mike Chitwood explained after the incident, the authorities were responding to a burglary report whereas Mr. Griffin, who is a veteran and a registered nurse, fit the description of the suspect to the letter.
In bodycam footage from the time of the detainment, one of the deputies is seen approaching the jogger and telling him he had to detain him due to his resemblance to the burglary suspect.
As the deputy explained, the suspect they were looking for was described as a black man with a beard who was wearing shorts and a white top.
“Just bare with me, because you fit the description. I’m not saying you’re guilty, but my sergeant is telling me to detain you,” the deputy tells the father who started live-streaming the incident.
As Griffin was being handcuffed, he complied without resisting and told his viewers to “better raise hell” if something happens to him.
“Again, buddy, you’re not under arrest, it’s just that you fit the description,” the deputy once again said before offering to hold the jogger’s phone in his stead.
Around twelve minutes later, the deputies have unhandcuffed the father and apologized for the inconvenience caused.
“Hey, buddy, so we appreciate you being very cooperative, again, this is not a race thing, so let’s not make it,” the deputy said. “This agency is very, very amazing and there’s serious consequences for racial discrimination.”
In bodycam footage taken minutes after Griffin’s release, the deputies are also seen arresting the real suspect.
Following the incident, Sheriff Chitwood praised his deputies for their hard work and Mr. Griffin for staying cooperative and calm.
“To each and every deputy who was involved in this response, I am extremely proud of your hard work and dedication. This is exactly the kind of effort that has allowed us to cut down the crime rate in Deltona,” Chitwood said in a statement.
“Likewise, Mr.point 210 |
Griffin was calm and cooperative even though he had reason to be frustrated with the inconvenience.point 84 | To Mr.point 89 | Griffin, I appreciate your cooperation with these deputies, and I’d like to invite you on a ride-along sometime in the future.point 197 | ”point 200 | 1
In an interview with WSAV, the sheriff has also offered the veteran a job at the department.
“Mr. Griffin is a military veteran and a medical professional, and I told him we’d train and hire him as a deputy in a second if he ever wants a new job,” he said.
Replaced!