Police Arrest Their Own After Witnessing Brutality Against Elderly

Undercover police detectives had to arrest their own after alleged brutal beatings at the hands of police outside a bar.

The Homestead Police Department had the bar under surveillance when, police said, they caught officers committing heinous acts. An internal affairs report documented instances of police brutality, which led to the arrest Monday of three Homestead police officers.

[...] Those arrested included Homestead Police Sgt. Jeffrey Rome, who bonded out of jail Monday. He faces charges of battery, false imprisonment and abuse of an elderly adult for allegedly beating and pepper-spraying men outside of Celio's Cuartel Latino Bar. The bar is frequented by migrant workers.

The others arrested included Officer Giovanni Soto and Sgt. Lizanne Deegan. Soto faces charges of battery and official misconduct after allegedly beating a man outside the same bar and then dropping him off at home without offering medical assistance. When that man called 911, Deegan responded. She now faces an official misconduct charge, accused of covering up for Soto.

[...] Several migrant rights groups were also present at the news conference. They said many undocumented workers are afraid to come forward despite being victimized by police because they fear being deported.