An internal investigation is underway after a South Florida business owner is accusing police officers of acting above the law. Ali Saleh, owner of 207 Quickstop, located on Northwest 207th Street in Miami Gardens, is accusing Miami Gardens Police of allegedly taking his patrons and employees into custody without valid reason.

“My customers started calling me before they come here, ‘Can we go to the store? Is police up front?'” said Saleah. Saleh has installed several security cameras around his store but not to watch out for crooks. He said he mainly put them up to catch police officers in action.

Surveillance video captured an employee at the store being taken into custody by police. That employee, according to records, has been arrested dozens of times for trespassing. According to Saleh, one of his customers who was drinking outside his store was told by police to get rid of the open container. The man followed police’s orders. The customer then wanted to enter the store, but officers told the man he could not.

The man was arrested before he was thrown to the ground. Saleh said the man was not trespassing at his store. He feels the arrests by police are unjustified and is filing a civil rights lawsuit against the Miami Gardens Police Department.

“Make me feel abused. I believe and live in America, and America has a Constitution, and it has to be to protect the citizens,” said Saleh. […]