BPD Officer of the Month

BRADENTON -- Master Patrol Officer Jose Santos was named the Bradenton Police Department’s Officer of the Month for August 2014 for his actions that may have saved a life.

On June 23 around 6:30 p.m., Officer Santos was patrolling the 1300 block of 27th Street East when he observed a vehicle driving in an erratic manner by an elderly man.

Officer Santos approached the vehicle and observed another subject in the passenger seat. The driver then turned the corner and pulled into a residential driveway. Officer Santos stopped behind the vehicle and approached it; The passenger immedi-ately exited the vehicle and quickly walked away.

The driver then told Officer Santos that his passenger had taken his checkbook and cellular phone and stashed a firearm under the seat. Officer Santos radioed for backup. He then saw the passenger running from the back of a residence and attempted to stop him, but the man disappeared into a crowd of people.

Upon further investigation, Officer Santos learned that the driver had responded to a Craigslist ad for a car for sale. Instead, he was robbed. Police say by observing the victim’s erratic driving behavior v and initiating contact, Officer Santos may have prevented this robbery from ending in tragedy.

The suspect remains at large. If you have information about this case, call Detective Jeff Beckley at 941-932-9300. For anonymous tips and a chance for a reward of up to $1,000, call Crime Stop-
pers (toll free) at 1-866-634-8477 or click here to send an E-tip.