SURFSIDE, Fla. – In a letter addressed to the town’s police chief, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett is blasting a police officer for what he calls a “dismissive posture” towards supermodel Gisele Bundchen during a traffic stop Wednesday.
The officer’s body camera was rolling as Bundchen, 43, broke down in tears after being pulled over by a Surfside police officer, telling the cop, who has not been publicly identified, that paparazzi had been following her.
“I have these f---ing guys following me, nothing protects me,” she said.
The officer, who had let her off with a warning, had told her there was “nothing (he) can do about that” and to file a report with Miami Beach police.
“I can’t prevent them from doing their job, which is to take pictures,” he said.
Burkett, who was recently voted back in as Surfside’s mayor, said in his letter, addressed to Interim Chief Henry Doce, that he was “dismayed” to see the video and how the officer handled Bundchen’s concerns.
“This response is wholly unacceptable and not reflective of the values, judgement and service residents expect from their police,” Burkett wrote. “The dismissive posture towards a resident who is clearly in distress is everything we do not want to see in the way our police interact and serve our residents.”
Doce, speaking to Local 10 News, admitted that the stop probably could have been handled better.
“I would have liked to have seen more empathy at the initial contact to what was going on,” Doce said.
“A lot of people who I’ve spoken to in Surfside say this officer is a great officer,” Local 10 News reporter Rosh Lowe told Doce.
“He is phenomenal,” the chief said. “Could we have done better? I think it’s a learning opportunity to understand what the dynamics of that situation is.”
Text of mayor’s letter:
Dear Chief Doce,
I was dismayed yesterday to watch a video interaction of one of our residents speaking to one of our police officers.
As one watches the video, it becomes clear very early in same that the resident is upset and frightened.
The frightened resident tells the Surfside officer that she believes a stalker is following her and that she is afraid.
In response the Surfside police officer says; "there's nothing I can do about that" and address your problem with Miami Beach.
This response is wholly unacceptable and not reflective of the values, judgement and service residents expect from their police.
On the contrary, our police department's paramount job is to keep our residents safe!
The dismissive posture towards a resident who is clearly in distress is everything we do not want to see in the way our police interact and serve our residents.
I see a recurring pattern that is disturbing that takes me back to a recent meeting where our police union boss, Tammy Campbell saw fit to encourage most of our police force to attend a commission meeting at which she attacked our elected officials because they dared to request the police step up patrols, take the black out tint off their windows, engage our residents and potentially work shifts which leave them more rested.
I have always supported our police, and all the men and women who choose to honorably serve.
What I saw on that video and the actions of the Surfside union boss at our recent meeting indicate that the past command staff leadership and union leadership, have lost sight of their mission.
We are all counting on you to refocus our police department’s primary mission back to serving our residents.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett