School resource officer reassigned after confrontation, DCPS says

Robert E. Lee High School officer under internal investigation

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A school resource officer has been reassigned after a video surfaced showing him in a confrontation with a young female student, according to a Duval County Public School spokesperson.

The video, which was shared numerous times with News4Jax, appears to show an officer at Robert E. Lee High School with his hand near the teenager's neck.

WATCH: Confrontation involving resource officer

According to the 17-year-old's mother, Latvia Harris, the altercation between the officer and her daughter, Sanji Sancho, began after the officer would not allow her back into the school. The mom said her daughter was told her class got moved to the school's gymnasium. When she didn't find her class in the gym, she tried to get back through the gate.

Harris said she hopes the officer will be held accountable. She said she found out about the altercation after the video surfaced on social media.

"I was disheartened by what I saw because that’s my baby. That’s my child," Harris said. "I wasn’t there to protect her, nor did I know anything about it until after the fact. I’m upset.”

According to Harris, her daughter had minor injuries on her shoulder and hand. Her daughter is not being penalized by the school.

A statement from DCPS reads:

We are aware of this incident. The officer has been temporarily assigned to administrative duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation. As this is an active investigation by Duval County School Police, we are unable to provide additional information at this time. 

DCPS did not release the resource officer's name, citing the investigation. News4Jax reached out to the officer for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 


About the Authors:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.