No bum rap: Louisiana police announce charges dropped against Odell Beckham following cop butt-slap

Cleveland Browns star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has escaped hot water in his native Louisiana after simple battery charges were dropped by authorities stemming from an incident captured on camera at an NFL game.

Beckham Jr. was celebrating with the victorious LSU Tigers, the team he represented before being drafted into the NFL, following their College Football National Championship win against Clemson on Monday but was potentially facing a misdemeanor charge after he was captured on camera appearing to playfully slap the buttocks of a nearby security guard.

However the officer involved has "has decided to drop the charge," as announced by the New Orleans police department. An arrest warrant which had been issued for the the NFL star has also been withdrawn. 

The video, which was apparently recorded without the knowledge of Beckham or the security guard, shows the player lightly strike the officers rear after he had reportedly been admonishing an LSU player for smoking a victory cigar in the locker room after the game.

"We are aware of the incident and have been in touch with Odell and his representatives on the matter," the Browns announced in a statement this week. "They are cooperating with the proper authorities to appropriately address the situation."

Beckham also landed himself in hot water after allegedly handing money to LSU players after the victory. NCAA rules expressly prohibit college athletes from earning money from their participation in college sports.

LSU's athletic department says that it is "aware" of the video and has communicated with the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference regarding the matter.

Beckham Jr. is one of the NFL's most well-known superstars. He joined the Cleveland Browns from the New York Giants prior to the kickoff of the 2019 season but the Browns struggled to a 6-10 overall record in the AFC North.