Shock moment black doc who tests homeless for coronavirus is handcuffed while unloading supplies at his home

COPS in Miami have been accused of “racial profiling” after a black doctor who tests homeless people for coronavirus was handcuffed outside his own home.

After CCTV footage of the bizarre moment was widely shared on social media, police promised an investigation into the arrest of the Good Samaritan, Dr Armen Henderson.

Dr Henderson, who works for the University of Miami Health System, was unloading items from a van when the sergeant pulled up in his squad car, exchanged words with the medic and then handcuffed him.

A home security camera captured the encounter.

According to the Miami Herald, he didn’t have any ID on him while working outside.

He screamed for his wife’s help.

Fortunately, she came outside with his identification, the cop released him from the handcuffs and drove off.

The officer told him he had been patrolling the area after receiving complaints of people dumping trash, Dr Henderson said.

The doctor said he told the cop he was just unloading his van.

However, he was handcuffed when he didn’t show him ID, and turned back toward his van, Dr Henderson added.

“He said ‘you should refer to me as sir, or sergeant when talking to me.’

“I never said I was a doctor. But I didn’t cuss. He just grabbed my arms and cuffed me,” the doctor told the Herald.

An internal investigation has been launched into why an African American doctor known for testing the homeless for the killer bug was handcuffed outside his home by a police sergeant

After the furore, Jorge Colina, chief of the City of Miami Police Department, posted a video on the force’s Facebook page.

He said on Saturday: “The department does not condone or accept profiling of any kind.

“I’m making that statement because we’ve been made aware of a video that has been circulating of an encounter that occurred on Friday, April 10 in the Flagami neighborhood.

“This encounter involves a City of Miami police sergeant, who stops in front of a home, of one of the residents.

“Many of the questions that have been asked are, why did this encounter occur, and so I just want to provide a little bit of context.

“We have had a litany of complaints pertaining to illegal dumping.

“The commissioner from that area has received many complaints as well from the constituents.

“There is a cargo van that’s parked in front of that home, where there appears to be trash that’s being offloaded.

“That is the genesis of the stop.”

He promised there would be a “full investigation” into the arrest.

But there was some negative response on Facebook, with Jennifer Kennedy alleging that “this is racial profiling at its finest.

“To immediately put handcuffs on this man is inexcusable.

“This doctor is one of the finest people I have ever met.

“In a time when frontline workers are being praised for their dedication, your force decided to insult someone as selfless as this physician.

“This is someone who before becoming a physician dedicated his life to helping the disenfranchised, the under-served, the poor in your community that are often neglected. You owe this physician a public apology.”

Sharon Gordon noted the cop wasn’t wearing protective mask or gloves in public. 

She added: “This police officer needs to be tested for Covid-19.

“I support the police but a transparent investigation is needed.

“The way this citizen was treated looks like racial profiling. Why did he have to handcuff him right away?

“I don’t believe he would have handcuffed him if he was white.”