June 2025
Officers of the Month
Officer Alexander Crespo and Officer Sadel Joseph
The North Miami Police Department's "Officer of the Month" for June 2025 are Officer Alexander Crespo and Officer Sadel Joseph. They are currently assigned to the Afternoon Shift Uniform Patrol Section. They are being recognized for their outstanding performance during the following incident:
I would like to formally recognize the outstanding performance of Officer Alexander Crespo and Officer Sade! Joseph for their unwavering display of Courage, Empathy, Professionalism, and Respect during a high-risk incident. Their actions reflect the very best of what it means to serve and protect with courage, integrity and compassion.
On June 2, 2025, at around 9:26 pm., Officers Crespo and Joseph responded to a domestic disturbance involving a mentally ill individual who had not taken his prescribed medication. Officer Crespo was the first to arrive, but instead of rushing in, he showed tactical discipline by waiting for Officer Joseph to respond to back him up before making contact. Once both officers were on the scene, they positioned their vehicles to maximize safety and approached the residence together. As they neared the home, they were suddenly met by a large, physically intimidating man wielding a metal pipe. The subject, who was in a state of mental crisis, presented an immediate and dangerous threat not only to the officers but also to the pedestrians nearby. Despite the threat, both officers confronted the individual, utilizing their training and compassion.
Officers Crespo and Joseph immediately issued loud, verbal commands for the individual to drop the weapon. Despite issuing those commands multiple times, the subject either refused to comply or lacked the ability to comply because of his mental state. He appeared more mentally agitated, and his movements grew more menacing and aggressive as he maintained his tight grip on the metal pipe.
With the verbal commands failing to gain compliance, Officer Joseph drew his department issued TASER and continued to issue verbal commands for the man to drop the weapon. The male was provided every opportunity to surrender peacefully. However, the mentally troubled citizen continued to ignore Officers Crespo and Joseph's commands and walked towards the officers with a certain determination. Having exhausted all non-force options, Officer Joseph deployed his TASER to subdue the agitated and aggressive individual, but the TASER's probes failed to incapacitate him. The male continued advancing - angry, unpredictable, and armed. Recognizing the threat was intensifying and reaching a point where there may be no option but to utilize deadly force to prevent injury to themselves or others, Officer Joseph urgently called for backup over the radio, alerting nearby units that the TASER had been ineffective, and the situation was quickly escalating. In the end, the subject was safely subdued and taken into custody. Recognizing the mental health emergency, the officers ensured he was transported to the nearest hospital for evaluation under the Baker Act. No one lost their life that night because the officers chose patience over panic, compassion over chaos, and teamwork over force.
Throughout this dynamic and volatile encounter, Officers Crespo and Joseph showed exceptional professionalism and emotional control. They followed department de-escalation protocols, using time, space, and distance to manage the situation safely. Even though the circumstances could have legally justified deadly force, they chose a more restrained approach to resolve the crisis by relying on de-escalation tactics and the Department's principle in all interactions - The Sanctity of Human Life- to guide their decision-making. Their actions prevented a person experiencing a mental health crisis from suffering serious injury or losing his life and ensuring he received appropriate medical care. Their sound judgment, compassion, and steady decision-making reflect the highest standards of our department. Their actions during this call not only ensured the safety of everyone involved but also reinforced the trust and connection between our department and the community we serve.