MIAMI (WSVN) - The State Attorney’s Office has formally charged three South Florida officers in separate incidents.
Three South Florida police officers are in hot water on Wednesday.
A media conference about the arrest of the officers took place at 2:30 p.m. at The State Attorney’s Office.
The three separate incidents were all caught on camera.
Wednesday morning, former Miami-Dade Police officer Joseph Diaz surrendered at the county jail.
He is charged with a felony of official misconduct. Accused for allegedly lying about an arrest in 2020 to justify his actions. He also has been charged with battery.
The Miami State Attorney read off of the officer’s report.
“He became excessively aggressive. He was screaming at the top of his lungs,” said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
Although the body camera footage told a different story.
A calm exchange and a few nasty words that led to the crime.
Two other officers are facing charges related to the use of excessive force during arrests.
Former Miami Gardens Police officer Javier Castano has been charged for battery from a March 2020 rough arrest.
“He was offering no resistance. He was fully subdued. Castano kicked the victim in the face,” said Rundle.
Investigators said that he also held his knee against the man’s neck at a Racetrac gas station back in March of 2020.
The other officer is Opa-Locka Police Capt. Sergio Perez, who has been on the news before.
He was booted from the force after a chase and fatal wrong way wreck in 2013. He was later rehired.
Then, in Sept. of 2020, an arrest caught on camera involving Perez led to a lawsuit, but no charges were made.
A year later, investigators said Perez shot another Opa-Locka Police officer with a Taser practice cartridge after getting into an argument with that officer.
Perez is being charged with battery.
The Miami-Dade police director said in a statement, “As law enforcement officers, we are sworn to support, protect and defend the Constitution. It is disheartening when a police officer violates their oath of office, this act without dispute unacceptable,” said MDP Director Alfredo Ramirez.
The state attorney had a few things to say in regards to the arrests.
“It’s really sad for all of us in law enforcement when we have to charge colleagues that are here to protect and preserve public safety for our community,” said Rundle, “but none of us can really tolerate that, nor do the good police officers tolerate this.”
All of the charges made are misdemeanors except for the official misconduct charge, which is a felony.
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