TAMPA, Fla. – A Tampa Police officer has been fired for using an unauthorized chokehold during an arrest.
Michael Scaglione, who had been with the department since 2016, was terminated following an internal investigation into his conduct during a domestic violence call in April 2024.
Body camera footage showed Scaglione placing a suspect in a chokehold, causing the individual to briefly lose consciousness. This action violated department policy, which prohibits chokeholds and neck restraints unless deadly force is justified. In this instance, the use of deadly force was not authorized.
The investigation also revealed that Scaglione failed to document strikes to the suspect’s head during the arrest attempt.
READ: Tampa Man Arrested For Transporting Unlawful Fuel In Hernando County
“Domestic violence investigations are one of the most dangerous and volatile situations an officer can respond to, and the dynamics can quickly change,” said Chief Lee Bercaw. “It is imperative that, even in the heat of the moment, officers must be able to respond according to established policies and training procedures which were developed to ensure the safety of the officers as well as the public. In this case, these standard expectations were not met, and his employment was terminated.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Android Users: Download our free app to stay up-to-date on the latest news.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.