Officer Arrested for Domestic Battery, Highlighting National Issue

0:00It's March 4, here's your Tampa Bay news in two minutes. A St. Petersburg police officer named Curtis Wright faces his second arrest for domestic battery while working for the same department. This time, in February, he was accused of grabbing his wife's wrist during an argument over their child while he was on parental leave. He has pleaded not guilty and plans to return to an administrative role on March 7. Back in 2016, Wright faced a similar charge involving his girlfriend at the time. She claimed he grabbed her, twisted her arm, and slammed her to the floor, but prosecutors dropped the case after she chose not to move forward. St. Petersburg police chief Anthony Holloway stresses that the department takes these incidents seriously with a dedicated policy. They investigate their own officers thoroughly, but must wait for court cases to wrap up due to legal protections like the Guarantee Rule before starting. The chief also points to round the clock counseling for officers and families. Meanwhile, this case highlights a bigger, national problem.

1:03Activist Bruce Bieber has tracked over 100 reported instances of officer involved domestic violence across the country since late August. His effort stems from the murder of his daughter, a deputy killed by her police boyfriend four years ago. Experts call for stronger action, like reviving past Florida training programs that once reach thousands of officers nationwide. While some departments have their own policies, there's no statewide standard, fueling pushes for uniform rules to prevent these tragedies. This DNN story is thanks to our sponsor details in the description. Your Pillow, your podcast, your moment made for listening in bed, S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com.