MIAMI – The trial of the man dubbed Florida's "dirtiest cop" began Tuesday with testimony from the man he is accused of attacking.
Former Opa-locka Sgt. German Bosque is accused of kidnapping a man who wanted to file a police brutality complaint against him.
State investigators arrested Bosque, charging him with kidnapping, battery and tampering with a witness. He faces life in prison if convicted of the kidnapping charge, a first-degree felony.
It was Aug. 3, 2011, when the state contends Bosque punched the victim while on duty, responding to a domestic call. When the man wanted to file a police brutality complaint at the Opa-locka police station, Bosque "forcefully escorted him from the lobby, handcuffed him and placed him into a holding area," according to a report.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the victim was held against his will for a short time and was never provided an opportunity to file his complaint.
Bosque has been arrested, disciplined, suspended, fined and sent home with pay more than any officer in the state. He has been accused of slamming the head of a handcuffed suspect, beating juveniles, hiding drugs in his police car, stealing from suspects, defying orders and falsifying police reports.
"I've always landed on my feet because there's never been the smoking gun," Bosque told Local 10 crime specialist John Turchin on the way into the courtroom. "I hate to say this, but the media has always gotten it wrong. I'm always found acquitted … or get my job back because I am a good officer."
Bosque went on to defend his reputation, telling Turchin the charges are unwarranted and the public's perception of him is unfair.
"People, unfortunately, believe what they read and that's what this is all about," Bosque said. "Anybody that doesn't really know me or know the case exactly, they hate me. I hate myself when I read what the media says about me, and it's not true."
According to the FDLE, Bosque punched a man in the face after the man refused to hand over his 14-month-old child to the toddler's mother. The man later drove to the Opa-locka police station to file a complaint against Bosque. But the sergeant handcuffed the man and tossed him in a holding cell for 14 minutes. The man never got to file his complaint, and Bosque didn't report the incident.
The trial is expected to last a week.