MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Several Miami Beach Police officers have been charged after a viral video was posted on social media, but South Florida activists have said the charges filed against the officers are not enough.
Activists said they were pleased with how quickly the misdemeanor battery charges were pressed against the five officers, but they do not reflect the severity of what they saw in the video.
“These charges are as weak as church water wine,” Circle of the Brotherhood Executive Director Lyle Muhammad said. “When have officers not been suspended with pay when these incidents take place?”
Dalonta Crudup, 24, could be seen on video ducking into an elevator at the Royal Palm Hotel. Seconds later, an officer holding a gun caught up to him, and Crudup could be seen exiting the elevators with his hands behind his head and lies on the floor.
The Circle of the Brotherhood spoke Wednesday outside of Miami Beach Police headquarters on 11th Street and Washington Avenue.
“If anyone of us would have done such an atrocity, you would have already seen our mugshot, and you would have seen us being walked away in handcuffs,” Muhammad said.
Police Sgt. Jose Perez and officers Kevin Perez, Robert Sabater, Steven Serrano and David Rivas have been suspended without pay.
Khalid Vaughn was left bruised and battered after he recorded the incident and was tackled by an officer. He was released the next day with the charges against him dropped.
“However, when you talk about the fact that the charges were dropped, was his trauma disappearing? Once you have that kind of encounter, it’s not just good enough to say ‘My bad,’” Muhammad said. “We drop the charges. We experience things every time one of those cars gets behind us with a flashing light.”
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said in a video statement, “This incident simply does not reflect who we are or how we train, and the best evidence of that was how quickly and decisively our own department took action, but obviously, we must do better. What we saw on the video was alarming and unacceptable but also know that it doesn’t represent our police department.”
Muhammad said incidents like what happened with the Miami Beach officers have to stop happening.
“We have to address policing culture,” he said. “Stop calling these isolated incidences.”
Activists have spoken with Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Clements. Activists said it is a first step in starting a conversation, but it is not close to where they would like to see the charges.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.