TAMPA — Tampa police officers resigned this spring while undergoing internal scrutiny over allegations of having sex while working with a woman they met during an investigation.
The Tampa Police Department’s Occupational Standards Office later found that Officer Jeffrey Brandon Hutchinson was violating multiple departmental policies, including regulations on incompetence.
According to the department’s public relations department, Hutchinson, 39, worked at the Tampa Police Station for four years. He spent his time on patrols and as a field training officer.
He did not respond to multiple messages due to comments.
The department said in a statement that it had not discovered any other incidents in which Hutchinson had inappropriately acted with the citizens and had not received any other complaints about him. He had no prior violations of departmental policies.
A letter obtained by the Tampa Bay Times and signed by the department’s top brass, including Chiefrei Belkou, summarises the findings of the investigation.
Hutchinson in February said he texted two women he met two months ago during an investigation into his death. Neither woman name the letter. The message was not approved.
Hutchinson has been exchanging text messages with women for several days, the letter said. On February 20th, he went to one woman’s house with her consent.
In a later interview with department staff, the woman said Hutchinson showed up wearing full uniforms. At her house, she said, they kissed. She said the officer touched her breasts under her shirt and exposed her to her, according to the letter. She said they were not having sex but did not elaborate on the extent of sexual activity, the letter states. She said what happened was consensus.
She asked Hutchinson to leave, and he did, the letter states. They continued texting for several days until the woman filed a complaint with the police station. That’s when an internal investigation began.
Hutchinson resigned on April 24th, and the letter stated before issuing a statement to investigators.
Officials recorded that they were writing a report at the department’s District One Office on Tampa Bay Boulevard, west of Raymond James Stadium, where the sexual encounter allegedly took place. He never updated his location after leaving the office, the letter states.
The investigation ended with persistent violations of sexual activity on duty, timekeeping, failure to comply with departmental regulations related to assigned vehicle programs, standards of conduct, and incompetence.
Police did not publicly release details of Hutchinson’s resignation or allegations when the incident was finalized in May.
Want to break news in your inbox?
Subscribe to our free newsletter
You will receive real-time updates on major issues and events from Tampa Bay and beyond.
You’re all signed up!
Want more free weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
Check out all options
The matter came to light last week after the Hillsboro State Attorney’s Office filed a court notice that Hutchinson was no longer employed by the agency and found him violated some policies.
The document, known as the Brady-Giglio Notice, is a notice that the prosecutor must submit to inform the defense attorney of any evidence or information that could help the defendant’s case. This includes situations where officers or other law enforcement employees face discipline.
Notices about Hutchinson were filed in the case of Brianna Moore, a former Tampa University student accused of manslaughter, the deceased newborn baby.
Hutchinson was one of the officers who responded to the crime scene in the Moore incident. However, his role was limited to maintaining crime scene logs. It is unlikely that the disciplinary investigation against him will affect the case.
