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Crime analyst: High number of proven allegations for JSO officer accused of spitting

First Coast News has obtained part of the past history of the officer accused of spitting on and assaulting a man outside UF Health.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - First Coast News has obtained part of the past history of the officer accused of spitting on and assaulting a man outside UF Health, It's a story we first brought you last week.

A video shows a dispute between Officer Timothy James and 21-year-old Daniel Nyman. Nyman is now in prison.

JSO documents reveal Officer James has been with JSO for just over three years, but in that time, he's received 13 complaints, seven of those have been proven true.

Punishments for the officer's actions have ranged from written reprimands to more than week-long suspensions.

"The fact that maybe there were more complaints preceding this it might lend you to believe maybe the officer is not being candid or maybe there is something wrong here," said First Coast news Crime Analyst Mark Baughman.

The incident was captured on video April 26th outside UF Health Jacksonville. The video reveals details not contained in the police report, like the officer appearing to spit at Nyman.

If proven at fault, this wouldn't be the first time Officer Timothy James has been found in the wrong.

Since joining JSO in January 2014, James has received more than a dozen complaints, with more than half having been found to be factual, according to JSO's internal documents.

Those sustained allegations include two chargeable vehicles crashes, failure to conform to work standards, a violation of a firearms policy, which led to a two-day suspension, and a violation of social media policy, which led to a written reprimand.

"The number of them for that period of time is high in my estimation," Baughman said.

Baughman believes that likely the worst of the sustained charges was the in-house complaint of lying, which landed James a ten-day suspension.

"The one violation of not being wholly candid, that's never good, and I think that charge was sustained and there was some punitive actions and time off there," he said.

However, Baughman mentions how officers who work in high-crime areas often have more contact with the public and in turn receive more accusations.

"A lot of law enforcement officers have said in the past if you're not getting complained on, you're not working, that does happen, there is a little bit of truth to that." 

Baughman believes James could receive more training or suspension.

"if it's sustained, there may be some form of days off or maybe some even remedial training and some public interaction type training between the law enforcement officer and the public." 

Daniel Nyman's mother on Wednesday said the encounter with the officer dislodged her son's jaw. She is talking with an attorney.

First Coast News has requested a more detailed officer history for Officer James.

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