MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A Miami Beach Police
officer is being investigated by his own colleagues after he was allegedly
drunk during an off-duty job at a South Beach nightclub.
Miami Beach Police Sgt. Mike Muley has been relieved
of duty with pay while internal affairs investigates the allegation.
According to Miami Beach Police, they received an
anonymous call stating there was an intoxicated police sergeant in full uniform
working an off-duty security job at Mango's Tropical Cafe, located on the 900
block of Ocean Drive, at around 4:30 a.m. Monday. Police said officers came to
the nightclub and transported Muley to Mount Sinai Medical Center for medical
treatment and alcohol testing.
Later that morning, the Miami Beach Police cruiser
assigned to Muley was seen outside the club covered in evidence stickers. Crime
scene investigators were also spotted on the scene.
"The matter is being taken very seriously,"
said Miami Beach Police Chief Dan Oates, who was appointed chief of Miami Beach
Police in June. "I'm brand new here. We simply can't tolerate inappropriate
behavior by our officers, especially with regard to alcohol, and this matter
will get full investigation by this department."
News of Muley's suspension comes with the revelation
that he has a direct connection to another high-profile case involving another
Miami Beach Police officer accused of drinking on the job.
On Thursday, former Miami Beach Police Officer Derick
Kuilan was sentenced to 18 months in prison for giving a civilian a joyride on
his station-issued ATV that ended in a crash that injured two beach goers. It
was alleged Kuilan had been drunk.
"He had his head down on the desk," said
Muley as he reenacted Kuilan's behavior while testifying in the officer's
trial. "He had his arms up, and his head down like this."
Jurors, however, were not convinced of the evidence.
Kuilan was convicted of reckless driving with serious bodily injury but
acquitted of DUI.
Muley was Kuilan's supervisor on the night of Kuilan's
accident, which occurred in July 2011. Muley was demoted for improper supervision
as a result. However, through arbitration he was eventually able to regain the
rank of sergeant.
"I'm well aware of that," said Oates when
asked about Muley's connection to the Kuilan case. "With regard to that,
people have to recognize that that matter was adjudicated, and my understanding
was that he was originally demoted, but he got his stripes back [through]
arbitration. That's in the past. My immediate challenge as the new chief is to
deal with this new event and do what's right for the organization."
Oates encouraged the community to provide any
information they might have about Monday morning's incident. "Like any
serious matter involving the department, if there's anyone in the community who
saw this officer or has any evidence that might be useful to us, we ask that
they come forward and let us know immediately."
It remains unknown what amount of alcohol, if any, was
found in Muley's system.
The investigation remains ongoing.
