4 Officers Suspended During Review Of Forceful Arrest: Police

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Four police officers have been suspended with pay while the Miami Beach Police Department investigates the amount of force used during an arrest at a South Beach hotel early Monday morning.

The incident started just before 1:30 a.m., when officers saw an illegally parked scooter near 9th Street and Ocean Court, according to a news release from MBPD. Police took 24-year-old Dalonta Crudup into custody after he hit and injured an officer with his scooter and led them on a foot chase that ended in the lobby of the Royal Palm South Beach hotel at 1545 Collins Ave.

Police also arrested Khalid Vaughn, who wasn’t involved in the original incident with Crudup, in the hotel lobby, MBPD said.

After reviewing video of Vaughn’s arrest, the agency recommended to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office that the charges against him be dropped and that he should be released.

Police Chief Richard Clements expressed concerns about the force used by officers during Vaughn’s arrest.

“I reviewed the video footage regarding this incident, and I have serious concerns about the force utilized after Mr. Crudup was in custody, including the level of force utilized in the subsequent arrest of Mr. Vaughn,” Clements said in a statement provided by MBPD. “This is not indictive of the hard-working men and women of the Miami Beach Police Department and will not be tolerated.”

The chief ordered an internal affairs investigation and relieved the four officers involved of duty until it’s complete. He also asked the State Attorney’s Office to review the incident.

“I’m firmly committed to ensuring that this investigation follows the appropriate process,” Clements said.

While the investigation is underway, police said they won’t release any additional details or the video footage from the incident.

Vaughn told Local 10 news that he was beaten up by police because he recorded Crudup’s arrest in the hotel lobby.

“I started recording it. They already got him in handcuffs. They beat him, turned around, charged me down, beat me,” he said. “Punched me, elbowed me in the face.”