NFL-Dolphins' Hill calls for 'escalating' officer to be fired

(Reuters) - Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill is calling for a Miami-Dade police officer to be fired for his role in a traffic stop that led to the National Football League player being detained and handcuffed as he was on his way to his team's first game of the season.

Hill's attorney, Julius Collins, released a statement on his client's behalf late on Tuesday demanding the firing of the "escalating officer" who was placed on administrative duties as a result of Sunday's incident.

"Each action that a law enforcement official takes is governed by standard operating procedures," the statement read.

"We are of the opinion that the officer's use of force was excessive, escalating, and reckless. We are demanding that the officer be terminated effective immediately."

The incident, which led the Miami-Dade Police Department to open an Internal Affairs investigation, occurred hours before the Dolphins' NFL season opener on Sunday, when Hill, who is Black, was pulled over for speeding near his team's home stadium.

"While we are in no way accusing the officer of being racist, we are accusing the customs and practices of law enforcement from a historical standpoint of being discriminatory and oppressive to Black and minority communities," said the statement.

"We cannot ignore this fact and remain silent on the issue just because it's a tough conversation."

Miami-Dade police did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the demand that the officer be fired.

Body camera footage of the incident shows a police officer asking Hill through his open car window why he did not have his seat belt on. After a brief exchange Hill rolls his window up and the officer knocks on it, ordering him to roll it down.

Hill partially rolls the window down and the officer tells him to get out of the car. Audio of the exchange shows the officer becoming increasingly belligerent toward Hill as well as threatening another driver, who appeared to know Hill who had stopped his car nearby.

Another officer then comes over, opens the car door and grabs Hill by the back of the head, forcing him face down on the pavement as he puts him in handcuffs with a knee pressed against his back.

Officers then picked the still-handcuffed Hill up and led him to the sidewalk, where they ask him to sit. Hill asks them to slow down because he "just had surgery on my knee" before an officer grabbed him from behind and forced him into a seated position on the curb.

Hill, a five-time All-Pro wide receiver, still managed to play in Sunday's game, scoring an 80-yard touchdown en route to the team's 20-17 victory. After the game, he said he had obeyed the officers' orders.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Bill Berkrot)