A Lake Wales school resource officer at a Lake Wales Charter School has resigned following the completion of an exhaustive internal affairs investigation into allegations of misconduct and dishonesty.
Lake Wales Police Department Public Information Officer and internal affairs investigator, Lt. Dale Hampton, says the initial complaint against Officer Sammy Natal, then serving as the school resource officer at Bok Academy North, came on April 10, 2025. A concerned parent reported what they described as “concerning” behavior by Natal. The parent contacted the school, which in turn notified the Lake Wales Police Department. LWPD promptly removed Natal from his assignment at the school pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Under Florida law, all law enforcement officers are entitled to specific protections during internal investigations through the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights (LEOBR), outlined in Section 112.532 of the Florida Statutes. These protections ensure that officers are informed of the nature of the investigation, granted access to legal representation, and provided with recorded interrogations. The law also requires officers to cooperate fully with investigators and prohibits them from discussing the investigation with others during the process.
Over the weeks that followed the complaint, LWPD conducted a lengthy investigation. Investigators reviewed more than 3 terabytes of school surveillance footage, covering hundreds of hours of video recordings from the Bok Academy North campus. In addition to the extensive video review, 17 interviews were conducted, including conversations with students, school employees, a Lake Wales police officer, and Officer Natal himself.
According to a 10-page summary of the internal affairs report, Natal was accused of violating four General Orders, which govern professional conduct within the police department:
- 2.03 (1)(A) Conduct of Members
- 12.02 (8)(RR) Conduct Unbecoming a Member
- 12.01 (4)(J) Garrity Warning
- 2.03 15(B)(2) Dishonesty and Untruthfulness
The investigation revealed allegations that Natal made comments to students that some found “uncomfortable.” He was also accused of engaging in physical contact with multiple female students, all minors, in the form of high-fives that ended with both parties “interlocking fingers.”
While Officer Natal denied all allegations, the investigation did confirm that he violated the department’s Garrity policy, which prohibits officers from discussing an active internal investigation. Investigators documented that Natal initially denied speaking about the investigation but later admitted to doing so, calling it a “mistake” and apologizing.
Upon conclusion of the investigation, it was determined that violations related to general conduct and unbecoming behavior were not sustained due to insufficient evidence. However, violations pertaining to the Garrity policy and dishonesty were sustained, meaning investigators found credible evidence that Natal failed to comply with those internal policies.
Because of the sustained policy violations, the Lake Wales Police Department recommended termination of Officer Natal’s employment. Natal, however, chose to resign.
No criminal charges were filed in this case. Hampton confirmed that while extensive video footage and multiple witness statements were reviewed, there was no evidence that rose to the level of a criminal offense.
