News and Public Media for North Central Florida

UFPD Officer Arrested On Suspected Child Abuse Charge

Henri Belleville

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office arrested a University of Florida police officer late Wednesday night on a suspected child abuse charge.

Henri Belleville and UFPD K-9 Rocky pose together on the University of Florida campus in 2011. Belleville trained with Rocky for 80 hours in West Palm Beach before the duo returned to Gainesville certified in explosive detection. Photo Courtesy of UFPD.

Henri Belleville, 41, was arrested on a charge of third-degree felony child abuse without great bodily harm. The arrest came after a school official reported possible abuse when a teacher saw a bump and a red mark on a child's face.

UFPD Chief Linda Stump-Kurnick "immediately" placed Belleville on administrative leave, said Maj. Brad Barber, the UFPD Public Information Officer.

In 2011, Stump-Kurnick honored Belleville for his part in saving Gainesville Police Department Maj. Rick Hanna’s life in an incident at Gainesville Health & Fitness Center.

Belleville was released on recognizance at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Stump-Kurnick could not be reached for comment.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Debora is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.