Inkster Officer Suspended For Involvement In Beating Of Man During Traffic Stop

INKSTER (WWJ) -- One officer involved in the beating of a man during a traffic stop in January has been suspended by the Inkster Police Department.

William Melendez has been suspended for five days -- with termination possible -- for the beating of Floyd Dent on Jan. 28. Dent was seen in a dash-cam video being kicked and punched more than a dozen times.

There are no criminal charges against Melendez, though an investigation by the Michigan State Police is ongoing. An internal investigation by the Inkster Police Department found Melendez to be within the practices of the department.

Dent, 57, claims Inkster police planted cocaine in his car.

Dent said he was innocent and trying to protect himself during the January traffic stop, while police counter he'd refused to pull over, resisted arrest and threatened them.

A District Court judge earlier dismissed charges of fleeing police and resisting arrest after viewing police dash-cam video – which went viral online.

Dent's attorney, Gregory Rohl, wants the U.S. Department of Justice to take a look at the case and the department.