Now, attorneys for the officer are arguing that such a move was "premature" and requesting that their client be returned to his usual role.
"We call for our client’s immediate reinstatement, and a complete, thorough, and objective investigation, as Director Daniels has also advocated," attorneys Ignacio Alvarez and Israel Reyes said in a news release Tuesday. "Our client will not comment until this investigation is concluded and the facts are fully revealed."
On Tuesday, Miami-Dade police confirmed that the officer in question was Danny Torres, a 27-year veteran.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) throws the football before preseason game against the Washington Commanders at Hard Rock Stadium. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Spokespeople for the Miami-Dade Police Department did not immediately reply to questions about the officer and his attorneys' request that he be reinstated.
The department's director, Stephanie Daniels, said in a statement Sunday that she had initiated an investigation into the officer through the department's internal affairs office. She said she is "committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers."
Sunday's encounter between Hill and police caused a jarring scene just outside Hard Rock Stadium, hours before Hill and the Dolphins faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in their season-opener. And the officers' actions have come under scrutiny − particularly their use of force during what otherwise appeared to be a routine traffic stop.
On Monday evening, Miami-Dade police released more than an hour of footage from body-worn cameras on the scene, which showed officers forcefully pulling Hill from his McLaren after he rolled up his window during the interaction. The officers removed him from the car, took him to the ground and handcuffed him for more than 15 minutes. He repeatedly complained about knee pain during the encounter.
Hill later acknowledged to officers that he had been speeding but criticized them for escalating the situation by pulling him out of his car and putting him in handcuffs. He was eventually allowed to leave the scene after being cited for careless driving and driving without a seatbelt.
"They said I was speeding, reckless driving or whatever," Hill said in a news conference after racking up 130 receiving yards in Miami's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. "I wasn’t raised like that to name drop. If you said I did something, write me a ticket and do whatever you have to do. But don’t be disrespectful."
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.
A lot of you pro police types don’t use common sense. Those cops were working traffic control for the football game. The overtime paid by the NFL. Yes Hill was speeding on his way to play the game. He got stopped and handed the cop his license. The cops knew he was a player. Why would he need to keep his window rolled down? Was your threat. You want us to believe with the cover of tinted windows Hill was gonna pull a gun and blow cops brains out? Oh then he was going to go play the game and score a couple of TD’s. Use your common sense people!
James Siciliano
3m ago
The cop did the right thing to call his Lawyer they have a case against the city and against Hill
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