An Indian River County Sheriff’s Corrections Deputy was jailed and fired on Mother’s Day in connection with a domestic battery incident involving alcohol, Sheriff Eric Flowers said.
“It’s a tarnish on our badge. It’s a tarnish on our agency. It’s completely unacceptable and disappointing that one of our own was arrested on Mother’s Day for domestic violence,” Flowers said in a statement. “This type of behavior will absolutely not be tolerated. Within hours of (us) being notified, he was terminated.”
Port St. Lucie police charged Indian River Deputy Cpl. Christopher Swindell, 36, with battery touch or strike. Swindell was held Sunday at the St. Lucie County Jail without bond, jail records show.
The town where he lived was not immediately available.
In hopes to bring more transparency to the public, Flowers spoke about Swindell’s arrest in a video posted Sunday to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. Further details on the circumstances leading to Swindell’s arrest were not immediately available.
Flowers said this was not Swindell’s first incident involving alcohol.
“Before I took office, he had another incident that landed an internal affairs investigation,” Flowers said. “He received a suspension for that.”
Flowers said sheriff’s office employees were notified Sunday of Swindell’s termination.
