Bradenton police officer arrested, fired after child abuse charge, police say
A Bradenton police officer faces a felony child abuse charge tied to an off-duty incident and has been fired, the department announced Wednesday.
Nicolas Leeman, 29, faces the charge out of Hillsborough County, and deputies booked him Wednesday morning into the Manatee County Jail. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case, and Leeman remains in custody without bond awaiting extradition as of Wednesday afternoon, according to jail records.
Leeman joined the Bradenton Police Department in October 2022, police said. According to the department, he worked as an officer with the K-9 unit.
The allegation stems from an off-duty incident involving one of Leeman’s children, according to the department. Additional details about the incident were not immediately released.
The Bradenton Police Department condemned the allegations against Leeman on Wednesday and said in a statement that it expects all members, both on and off duty, to “uphold the highest standards of conduct.”
“The alleged actions are unacceptable, contradict our mission to ensure a safe community, and do not align with the department’s values,” the department said in a news release.
