JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Lake City Councilman is facing criticism on social media after a video from a January traffic stop surfaced on YouTube that reportedly shows him becoming confrontational and hostile with police.
First Coast News has obtained bodycam footage of the incident from the Lake City Police Department. In the video, Councilman Jake Hill Jr. is pulled over for what appears to be a traffic stop on Jan. 17.
When the officer asks for Hill's driver's license he replies:
"I ain't got one... no I ain't got no driver's license."
The officer is heard asking if he does not have one because it's suspended and Hill replies, "no, I don't have no driver's license, I'm just driving..."
"Do you have any identification?" the officer follows up.
"No," the councilman replies.
"Do you have an ID card?" asked the officer.
"No, I sure don't," Hill says.
"Do you know that's a misdemeanor?"
"Give me a ticket then," the councilman answers.
Hill is then asked to step out of the vehicle and give some information to the officer. When the officer ran his name on a police computer, Hill's name came up as reportedly having a driver's license.
The situation turns confrontational when the officer questions why Hill is being so hostile towards him.
"Why ya'll been arresting people all f******* weekend? That's why I'm being like this," he's heard saying.
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Hill was given a $114 citation for an improper display of a license plate. Towards the end of the video, one of the responding officers is heard saying that he pushed Hill at some point during the traffic stop.
The video has over 6,000 views on YouTube and people commenting are not happy with the Councilman's behavior.
"This is the hostility that makes martyrs out of thugs," commented Dio Vindice. "He needs to be forced to step down immediately. He’s dangerous and a disgrace to Lake City."
"He lied and said he didn't have a driver's license," commented Elaine Gray. "He's a councilman for Lake City Fl behaving like that. What a piece of work!"
The video was displayed during a city council workshop on Monday, during which the Lake City Police Chief was discussing the option of bringing back a police advisory committee.
“Councilman Jake Hill referenced his traffic stop at a previous council meeting as an example of police mistreatment. It was included with several other videos, showing other instances alleging police misconduct, so that the council could see these incidents firsthand and make their own judgment,” Sgt. Mike Lee with the Lake City Police Department said.
The police department says they are not aware of any investigation into the councilman’s actions. A spokesperson says they would not be the ones to conduct that kind of investigation.
Councilman Hill was not at the meeting when the video was played.
First Coast News tried to reach out to Councilman Jake Hill Jr. at the phone number listed on the Lake City website, but a clerk told us he no longer keeps office hours at City Hall. We tried to reach him on his cell but his voicemail was full. We have sent him an email and are waiting to hear back.
First Coast News has also reached out to the City Manager for Lake City for comment and are waiting to hear back.
