Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office sergeant Michael Russell is confronting a felony accusation following his actions during a children’s soccer match. An occurrence in Jacksonville, Florida led to the arrest of the homicide sergeant on Tuesday for a felony count of battery against a sports official. Russell attended a youth soccer event on Sunday at Losco Regional Park situated in the Jacksonville area of Mandarin.
At the time, he was off-duty and dressed in casual clothing. A scuffle erupted among players, and as officials attempted to intervene, Russell then “moved onto the field and struck one of the referees in the face, dislodging the whistle from his mouth.”
“We never take pleasure in arresting an employee of this agency. However, our shared commitment to transparency, openness, and accountability surpasses any individual loyalty,” Waters remarked. “We are a society governed by laws, and no individual is above those laws.”
…“It’s truly perplexing to me,” Waters said when questioned about Russell’s motivation for hitting the referee. “It’s disappointing.”
Russell’s conduct was recorded on video, although it has not yet been made public.
Russell, who served in homicide, will continue his employment with JSO while the criminal investigation is ongoing. He will face an administrative review once the criminal case concludes. The sergeant boasts 14 years of service with JSO and attained the rank of sergeant in 2019.
