Updated: UMPD completes internal investigation, officers acted “lawfully and properly”

The University of Miami Police Department completed the internal investigation involving two officers who held a student at gunpoint, and in agreement with the Coral Gables Police and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office (SAO), decided the officers acted lawfully and properly in the situation.

“The safety of our students is paramount,” said Karla Hernandez, the university’s director of media relations. “We deeply regret that the student was detained in what became a case of mistaken identity. The university is recommending administrative procedures that includes re-training and counseling for the officers involved to stress appropriate interaction in a campus environment.”

The UMPD sent the tape to the SAO to be investigated but state prosecutors said no crime or violation had occurred.

“We have reviewed the matter and referred it back to campus police for their own administrative review,” said Ed Griffith, spokesman for the SAO. “Clearly, the police had sufficient probable cause to legally justify his actions.”

Junior transfer student Jordan Chusid, the student who was misidentified as the motorcycle thief, doesn’t agree with the decision made by the police department.

“This whole thing has been a long, drawn out and very strange situation,” he said. “I think the fact they are going to get no penalty is just ridiculous. My father is actually going to take action.”

According to the UMPD’s incident report, the owner of the motorcycle received a message from Lojack saying his motorcycle had been “disturbed.” The owner, who had been in a law school class, checked on his bike, which was parked near the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre.

He discovered that some wires had been cut and he called the campus police.

The police immediately reviewed surveillance video of the area and issued an alert for officers to be on the lookout for a “white Latin male, with dark hair, wearing a red shirt with a design, plaid shorts, and black shoes,” and a “thin Latin male, with dark hair, wearing a brown shirt with a design and blue jeans.”

A university security guard, Jonathan Bazoalto, spotted Chusid, a political science major who happened to match the description, leaving the Merrick Building. Chusid began in the direction of Mahoney Residential College, but suddenly stopped and headed the opposite way. Bazoalto then contacted police.

Officers Marc Werbin and Wilbur Foster detained Chusid at gunpoint in the School of Communication breezeway, cuffed him and took him to a table to be questioned. Several minutes later, police released Chusid.

UMPD has not found the two suspects involved in the attempted motorcycle theft, according to Rivero.

Contacted yesterday, Mitchel Chusid, the student’s father who also happens to be a lawyer, said that even though the officers may not have committed a crime, he has “a real huge problem” with their actions.

“There is no way they should have drawn guns,” he said. “It was absolutely uncalled for and reprehensible.”

Chusid said Jordan has always wanted to be a Hurricane and has no plans to leave the school.

“I agree police should have guns on campus, but you shouldn’t abuse your power,” Chusid Jordan said.