Drunken cops drive through town throwing eggs at prostitutes.

[jkwest]

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Three Gainesville police officers received written warnings for traveling through high-crime areas while off duty and harassing people, according to an investigation into the events, which occurred in November.

A University of Florida police officer was also involved in the incidents.

No victims were located by the investigators. However, two of the officers testified that the purpose of cruising through the Porter's Neighborhood - one time throwing eggs after drinking heavily - was to "harass the prostitutes and drug dealers."

The Gainesville Police Department began the internal investigation after an on-duty officer twice pulled over the off-duty officers, who were in a pickup in the neighborhood south of downtown and west of Main Street.

Three separate events were documented, the last of which, on Nov. 9, involved at least two of the officers throwing eggs in the Porter's Neighborhood, although the officers said the eggs weren't directed at anyone.

The GPD officers reprimanded were: Brett Robison, Roy "Billy" Long and Joshua Hinson. Officer Keith Smith with the UF Police Department was also involved, but it was unclear Tuesday evening if he had been disciplined.

"Each officer stated on the record that they felt these actions were 'stupid' and improper," according to the investigative report.

The first incident occurred on Nov. 2, when Robison, Smith and another man, who is not a law enforcement officer, were driving through "neighborhoods known for criminal activities of prostitution and narcotics sales," according to the report.

Robison, who was driving his own vehicle, said the purpose was to "show how common and easy it was to lure the attention of the criminal element," according to the report.

The three men were pulled over by the on-duty officer and asked to leave the area.

The second incident began the following Friday night, when Robison and Smith were joined by Long at downtown bars. After the bars closed, the officers again drove through the Porter's Neighborhood in Robison's truck and would stop at corners and wait for people to approach the car, the report said.

According to the report, someone in the vehicle would say "something" to the individual and then Robison would drive off.

Finally, on the night of Saturday, Nov. 8, Robison, Smith, Long and Hinson first met at the bars and, after 2 a.m., acquired four cartons of eggs at a convenience store on NW 13th Street and again drove through the Porter's Neighborhood.

Long and Hinson admitted throwing eggs out of the bed of the truck, and Long stated that eggs were also thrown from the cab of the truck, where Robison and Smith were riding.

According to the investigative report, a woman who is not a law enforcement officer was driving the truck. The report says the woman, as "the least intoxicated," had offered to drive. All four officers acknowledged "consuming copious amounts of alcohol," the report states.

They were pulled over again that night by the on-duty officer and instructed to go home.