December 2022

On November 5, 2022, Officer Darion Clerge was pro-actively patrolling the area of NE 131 St. and NE 7 Ave, when he was flagged down by a victim of a vehicle burglary that had just occurred. Instead of simply gathering information and starting a report, Officer Clerge jumped into action and quickly gathered intelligence about the incident, such as the description of the subject and the item that was taken from the vehicle. The stolen item was a construction work-drill valued at $150.00 and was a vital tool used by the victim. Officer Clerge was determined to recover it and created a plan of action. 

Armed with this information, Officer Clerge requested the assistance of an additional police officer via Miami-Dade dispatch. Utilizing law enforcement search techniques, Officer Clerge began canvassing the area for the subject, who was last seen walking on foot away from the scene of the crime. Officer Clerge, using intuition and a well-formed plan of action, located a person matching the description of the subject walking Westbound on NE 131 St. and NE 8 Ave. As he stealthily approached this person, he knew he found the right subject. Confirming his belief, was the fact that the subject was carrying the same drill that was described by the victim of the vehicle burglary. 

Officer Clerge used the element of surprise and quickly detained the subject without incident. The stunned subject, recognizing he was caught red-handed, began to make spontaneous statements. During his failed attempts to explain himself, the subject admitted to stealing the drill. The victim responded and positively identified both the subject and the work drill. 

Professionalism and Empathy are two of the core values of the North Miami Police Department. Officer Clerge embodied those values with his effort and unrelenting determination. Officer Clerge knew that time was of the essence and his swift actions led to the recovery of the victim’s stolen property and arrest of the perpetrator.