Jogger detained by Florida police is offered a job 

A black man was offered a job with a sheriff’s office in Florida after he was  wrongly detained by deputies for matching the description of a burglary suspect while out on a jog last week. 

Footage from the incident shows former military policeman, Joseph Griffin, being approached by deputies from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.

According to Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood, the deputies were responding to call about a burglary in the area and Griffin, who currently works as a registered nurse, fit the description. 

Authorities said they were looking for a black male with a beard who was wearing a white tank top and dark shorts and Griffin was wearing a similar outfit. 

In the footage, one deputy is heard telling Griffin: ‘Just bare with me, because you fit the description. I’m not saying you’re guilty, but my sergeant is telling me to detain you.’ 

By that point, Griffin had pulled out his cellphone and started live streaming the incident on Facebook. 

He is then seen putting his phone down as the deputy proceeds to handcuff him. 

As he’s being placed in the handcuffs, Griffin is heard telling his viewers on Facebook: ‘If something happens to me, y’all better raise hell.’

The deputy then said: ‘Again, buddy, you’re not under arrest, it’s just that you fit the description.

He also offered to hold Griffin’s phone for him while he continued to live stream the encounter.  

‘It’s just a lot going on today,’ Griffin said, referring to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake and the death of George Floyd who died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. 

More than 12 minutes later, the deputies released Griffin while also apologizing for the discomfort they may have caused. 

They also thanked him for keeping calm through the ordeal. 

Following the incident, Sheriff Chitwood released a statement commending the deputies for their handling of the encounter. 

‘Witness descriptions are never perfect, and these deputies did an outstanding job given the limited information they had about a call in progress,’ Chitwood said.   

‘To each and every deputy who was involved in this response, I am extremely proud of your hard work and dedication. This is exactly the kind of effort that has allowed us to cut down the crime rate in Deltona,’ the sheriff wrote. 

‘Likewise, Mr. Griffin was calm and cooperative even though he had reason to be frustrated with the inconvenience. To Mr. Griffin, I appreciate your cooperation with these deputies, and I’d like to invite you on a ride-along sometime in the future.’

Chitwood also revealed that he would be happy to train and hire Griffin as a deputy.

‘Mr. Griffin is a military veteran and a medical professional, and I told him we’d train and hire him as a deputy in a second if he ever wants a new job,’ Chitwood told WSAV.

Chitwood also said in his statement that the deputies ended up arresting the actual burglary suspect.