Stephen Johnson arrived in Miami Gardens almost a year ago with a mission: to repair a frayed relationship between the police department and the community. 
 
 On Friday night, he lost his job after being arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute at a Dania Beach hotel as part of a sting operation by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. 
 
 On Saturday morning, when Johnson bonded out of the Broward County Jail, a gaggle of TV cameras greeted him. He then apologized for the arrest and pointed to stress on the job for his poor judgment. 
 
 “I want to apologize to the community, and I want to apologize to my elected officials,” he told reporters. “The stress overwhelmed me, and I made a very bad decision to deal with that moment I’ve never experienced before.” 
 
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 In his remarks, Johnson made a vague reference to an incident on Friday morning involving a 10-year girl who was struck by an unmarked Miami Gardens police car. Johnson, however, did not elaborate further about how the incident and his arrest were connected, but he said it was a stressful situation. 
 
 Johnson’s arrest has again thrust the police department into a negative spotlight. It comes just days after protesters marched into City Hall to express their anger over the fatal police shooting of a mentally ill man fewer than two weeks ago. 
 
 On Saturday, Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert told the Miami Herald that the city and police department will move on from this incident. 
 
 “Mr. Johnson’s actions were unacceptable and I support the city manager’s decision to end his tenure as chief of police immediately,” he said. “The city police department is more than one man. It is hundreds of dedicated men and women that rise to serve the wonderful residents of the city. Their duty is unchanged and their service will not be interrupted. We will move forward as a police department, city, and community, together.” 
 
 The Broward Sheriff’s Office gave this account of Johnson’s arrest: 
 
 On Friday, Johnson used his cellphone to call a number he’d found on the escort section of backpage.com and spoke to a woman he believed to be a prostitute. They discussed him paying $80 for 30 minutes with one woman, later settling on $100 for a threesome. 
 
 At about 6:20 p.m. Friday, Johnson arrived at an unidentified hotel in Dania Beach with two condoms in his back pocket. He knocked on the door of room 423, where he was greeted by the presumed prostitutes. As soon as he paid the $100, he was arrested. 
 
 Detectives captured the encounter with Johnson on video and audio. 
 
 Within an hour of the arrest, City Manager Cameron Benson fired Johnson and named Assistant Police Chief Antonio Brooklen interim chief. Then the city released this statement: 
 
 “We remain committed to excellence and integrity on every level. We will not allow Mr. Johnson’s bad judgment to reflect negatively on the hardworking officers of the city of Miami Gardens and the residents they serve on a daily basis.” 
 
 The expectations had been high for Johnson, a veteran cop. He’d come with 30 years of experience working in the public sector. Rising from a rookie cop to police chief in North Miami during the first 27 years, he then transitioned to the city’s administration when he was appointed interim city manager in August 2011. Within three months, he was given the permanent job. 
 
 By spring 2014, city administrators in Miami Gardens were looking for a new top cop after losing former chief Matthew Boyd — the young city’s first and only police chief at the time — and his deputy chief Paul Miller when they resigned amid allegations of harassment and illegal stop-and-frisk tactics at the 207 Quikstop. The scandal, brought to light after the Miami Herald obtained surveillance videos from the convenience store owners showing cops’ behavior, left a blemish on the department’s reputation. 
 
 In April 2014, Johnson donned the four gold stars on his collar for Miami Gardens as he set out to improve the reputation of the police department. 
 
 He did make some strides in gaining favor with the community. At his first appearance before the City Council last year, he gave the public his cell phone number to make himself accessible. He was more present at community events and crime watch meetings. 
 
 Before he was hired in Miami Gardens, Johnson did face some controversy when he was police chief in North Miami. He was criticized for buying 43 replica police badges for former North Miami Mayor Andre Pierre without consulting the city manager. According to evaluations from his time on the North Miami force, he was noted for submitting police reports late and writing correspondence with grammatical errors. 
 
 He’d recently been dealing with the shooting death of a mentally ill man, Lavall Hall. He had been shot by police officer Eddo Trimino. Trimino and his partner claim Hall was shot after he struck the officers with a broomstick. Johnson supported his officers, tell the press they “did the best they could.” 
 
 Johnson is also listed as a pastor at Bethel House of God Church in Hallandale Beach, according to the congregation’s website. Efforts to reach church officials were unsuccessful. ||||| It wasn't just any cop who answered the online ad for the "two-girl" special. 
 
 It was the top cop from the Miami Gardens Police Department, deputies say. 
 
 Police Chief Stephen Edward Johnson, 53, was arrested Friday by detectives posing as escorts in a Dania Beach hotel room. 
 
 After making a phone call to negotiate a price of $100 for a threesome Friday, Johnson knocked on the door of Room 423 at 6:20 p.m., a sheriff's report said. What he found inside were cops posing as prostitutes in an undercover sting operation by the Broward Sheriff's Office. 
 
 Johnson's punishment, meted out by Miami Gardens City Manager Cameron Benson, was swift. Within hours of his arrest, Johnson was fired from his $165,000-a-year job. 
 
 After posting a bond of $300, Edwards walked out of Broward's Main Jail in downtown Fort Lauderdale at 12:45 a.m. Saturday. With news cameras rolling, he said on-the-job stress was behind his would-be tryst. 
 
 Broward Sheriff's Office Stephen Johnson lost his job as Miami Gardens police chief after being arrested Friday by undercover cops posing as escorts in Dania Beach. Stephen Johnson lost his job as Miami Gardens police chief after being arrested Friday by undercover cops posing as escorts in Dania Beach. (Broward Sheriff's Office) 
 
 Edwards spoke of a 10-year-old girl hit Friday by an undercover officer from Miami Gardens, saying he had been overcome with emotion after meeting with her family at the hospital. 
 
 "I want to apologize to the community, and I want to apologize to my elected officials," said Edwards, who lives in a Hollywood condo. "Tonight was a very unfortunate night for me dealing with an incident that occurred today. It just overwhelmed me." 
 
 According to the Broward Sheriff's Office, here's what led to the top cop's arrest: 
 
 As part of an undercover sting, Broward sheriff's detectives placed an escort ad on Backpage.com offering a "two-girl special" along with price rates and a telephone number. 
 
 When Johnson called, a detective posing as a prostitute answered. During the conversation, Johnson said he wanted to "do everything" and asked that the undercover detective wear high heels to satisfy a fetish. 
 
 Johnson was told he could pay $80 for a 30-minute session, the sheriff's report shows. But when he heard about the "two-girl special," Johnson said he was willing to pay a price of $100. 
 
 According to deputies, when Johnson arrived at the unnamed hotel, he produced $100 in cash. At the time of his arrest, Johnson had two condoms in his pocket, detectives said. The entire transaction was captured on video. 
 
 Johnson, hired in April to help mend the battered reputation of the Miami Gardens Police Department, was well-liked and even respected by the rank and file, said a Miami Gardens officer who was not authorized to comment and requested anonymity. 
 
 "I'm just in shock," the officer said. "I came home last night and my phone was burning up. I did not see this coming." 
 
 Benson said he, too, was taken aback when he got wind of Johnson's arrest Friday followed by a courtesy call from Broward Sheriff Scott Israel. 
 
 "It was one of the most painful things I've ever heard as a manager," Benson said. "To hear that type of news, it's like a punch in the stomach. It was something that I just couldn't fathom." 
 
 The chief's arrest was another setback for a troubled agency rocked by allegations of racial profiling. 
 
 Before joining Miami Gardens last year, Johnson served as the police chief in North Miami, later stepping into the role of city manager. 
 
 Johnson took the helm shortly after the owner of 207 Quickstop convenience store filed a lawsuit claiming Miami Gardens officers habitually harassed his minority employees and customers. An investigation by The Miami Herald found that one employee had been stopped 419 times in five years. 
 
 "We were in a bit of turmoil at the time [he was hired]," Benson said. "I was bringing in someone who was experienced, who had served as chief and who could come in and mend relationships with the community. He was the person I believed who could do that job and accept the challenge." 
 
 Johnson's arrest was just another unexpected crisis from which Miami Gardens will recover, Benson said. 
 
 "The way I look at it, it's another obstacle for us to overcome," Benson said. "This city is going to continue to move forward. And we have collectively taken a stance that no matter what, we are going to do everything to improve the city and ensure our residents are living in a safe environment and living in a city that is respectful. This is not going to stop us from doing that." 
 
 Assistant Chief Antonio Brooklen has been named the interim police chief. On Saturday, Benson said he was not yet sure whether he would promote from within or look outside the organization for a new chief. 
 
 At Johnson's condo Saturday, a valet driver wondered if the chief had made a date with a cop posing as a prostitute. 
 
 When the valet learned the chief was snared in an undercover sting, he shook his head. 
 
 "Oh, wow!" he said. "That's some bad luck." 
 
 epesantes@tribpub.com or 954-356-4543 
 
 sbryan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4554 ||||| Miami Gardens POlice Chief Stephen Johnson was arrested for soliciting a prostitute, officials said. He was immediately fired from his position. (Published Friday, Feb. 27, 2015) 
 
 Miami Gardens Police Chief Stephen Johnson was arrested for soliciting a prostitute in Dania Beach Friday, officials said. 
 
 Mayor Oliver Gilbert confirmed the arrest and said Johnson was fired immediately. 
 
 Jail records showed Johnson, 53, was being held on $300 bond. It was unknown if he has an attorney. 
 
 According to a Broward Sheriff's Office arrest report, deputies were conducting an undercover operation targeting solicitation of prostitution at a Dania Beach hotel when Johnson was arrested. 
 
 Authorities had placed an escort ad on backpage.com and two detectives were posing as prostitutes at the hotel, the affidavit said. 
 
 Johnson had called the number on the ad and arranged to pay $100 for 30 minutes with two prostitutes, the report said. 
 
 When Johnson arrived at the hotel room, he was let in and handed over the $100, the report said. He had two condoms in his pocket when he was arrested, the report said. 
 
 A news release from the department said Assistant Chief Antonio Brooklen will serve as interim chief. 
 
 "We remain committed to excellence and integrity on every level," the department said in the release. "We will not allow Mr. Johnson's bad judgment to reflect negatively on the hardworking officers of the City of Miami Gardens and the residents they serve on a daily basis." 
 
 The department came under fire earlier this month following the officer-involved shooting of 25-year-old Lavall Hall. 
 
 Johnson said Hall attacked two officers with a broom handle and was shot twice with a Taser before he was fatally shot by an officer. 
 
 Hall's family has been critical of police in the wake of the shooting, holding a vigil and protest and demanding more answers in the shooting. 
 
 Johnson was named Miami Gardens' Police chief in May 2014 after a long career with the North Miami Police Department. He also served as North Miami's city manager from 2011 to 2014.
– A Florida police chief got arrested Friday for allegedly soliciting a prostitute and was promptly fired just 10 months into his tenure, NBC Miami reports. According to an arrest report, Miami Gardens Police Chief Stephen Johnson called a number in a "two-girl special" prostitution ad and negotiated a $100 deal for two women for 30 minutes. Only problem: The woman he allegedly paid at a motel was really a sheriff's detective. "The stress overwhelmed me, and I made a very bad decision," Johnson tells the Miami Herald in his apology. He was hired last May to repair community relations after former top cop Matthew Boyd resigned amid allegations of harassment and illegal tactics. "It was one of the most painful things I've ever heard as a manager," says the city manager who fired Stephens, the Sun-Sentinel reports. "It's like a punch in the stomach."