Homophobia and the Miami Beach Police Department

The Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) sure knows how to get itself into some hot water. The MBPD is accused in a new lawsuit ready to be filed by the Florida ACLU of not only harassing an openly gay man, calling him names, and arresting him under bogus charges, but also of targeting innocent people who happen to notice police misconduct.

Serve and protect? Sounds more like harass and retaliate.

The incident in question revolves around a gay man, Harold Strickland, who in March 2009 noticed two MBPD officers holding a young man down, beating him, and kicking his head "like a football." Strickland called 911 to report the police abuse, but when he did, the two MBPD officers chased him down, disconnected his call with 911, and really let their homophobia fly. They pushed Strickland down on the ground, tied him up, and then started calling him a "F-cking F-ggot," "queer," and threatened to take him downtown to "disappear him." Eventually they even arrested Strickland on a bogus loitering charge, but the charge was eventually dropped by the MBPD.

Nearly a year later, and with a 911 call on record corroborating his side of the story, Strickland and the ACLU of Florida are suing the MBPD for the anti-gay incident. The MBPD has yet to respond, and even as of yesterday, still employed the two officers at the center of this story. It's time to send the MBPD a message that this type of homophobia -- not to mention the retaliation against people who report police abuse -- cannot be tolerated. Take action now.

No doubt there are really good officers working for the MBPD who understand that retaliating against people who report police abuse, or pushing and beating innocent gay men and calling them homophobic names is bad police work. These folks need to speak up, or risk permanently damaging the reputation of the MBPD.

In a letter issued by the ACLU, the group says that the incident here is just one in a pattern where the MBPD not only targets LGBT people, but also folks who witness police abuse.

"MBPD officers also have an alarming history of arresting individuals, particularly African-American men and women, who witness police misconduct," writes the ACLU. "During Urban Beach Week over Memorial Day weekend, the ACLU of Florida received reports that MBPD officers threatened and then arrested people of color who observed and photographed officers' unlawful arrests. MBPD officers forcibly seized SIM cards from observers' cell phones after they used their cell phone cameras to document incidents of police misconduct."

Is this really a pattern that the MBPD wants to set? Demand that they immediately issue an investigation into this case, that they stop harassing people who report police misconduct, and that they stop targeting LGBT people. What kind of honorable policework involves calling people "F-cking F-ggots?"

The answer is, of course, none. Contact the MBPD today and share your concerns that good policework and homophobia -- as well as targeting people who report police abuse -- don't mix.

Photo credit: Mr. Usaji