Fla. Cop Gave Special Treatment to NFL Player

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A Broward Sheriff's Office commander was suspended after an internal affairs investigation showed he gave a Miami Dolphins player special treatment at the Broward County Jail.

Dolphins player Phillip Merling was arrested May 27 and charged with aggravated battery after being accused of punching his pregnant fiancée.


Surveillance video showed Merling being escorted out a back door at the jail to avoid awaiting media upon his release and being led into an unmarked BSO patrol car.

An internal affairs report said Cmdr. Alvin Pollock drove Merling to the Miami Dolphins Training Facility in Davie and then to his Weston home in a county police car.

"This agency is not in the business of transporting people home who we arrest," said Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti. "If we arrest them, we don't drive them home."

The internal investigation is now over.

Pollock has worked on game days for the Miami Dolphins while off duty at BSO.

According to the internal affairs report, Merling said he never asked for special treatment and that neither did the Miami Dolphins organization.

Lamberti said Pollock violated several BSO policies.

"One, failure to use discretion; two, an unauthorized passenger in the vehicle; and three, failure to meet BSO standards," Lamberti said.

Pollock has worked at BSO for 33 years. Pollock was suspended without pay for 15 days and is no longer allowed to work off-duty jobs. He also was removed from his position as commander at the Broward County Courthouse.

"Basically, he says he doesn't know what he was thinking," Lamberti said. "He knows he made a mistake and showed remorse."

BSO said standard procedure is for everyone to be released through the front door.

"No exceptions, no special treatment," Lamberti said.

As part of the change, BSO has revoked all off-duty assignments for any deputy who works for the Miami Dolphins.

The charges against Merling were dropped in November.