SUNRISE, Fla. – Controversial video showed a 21-year-veteran of the department putting his hands on a female officer’s throat last November. Now we’re hearing new audio from police body camera video.
It started when Sunrise Police were responding to a call about a fight.
But what happened between officers during that call is what has caught the most interest.
At the time, officers were trying to take a man named Jean Similien into custody.
In the body camera video, you can hear Similien being difficult with officers. He complains that his leg was hurting and he struggled with them when they tried to put him in the back of the patrol car.
It’s at that moment that Sergeant Christopher Pullease pulled up.
Pullease immediately escalates the situation. He threatened Simlien and pointed pepper spray at him before a female officer, who had only been on the force for about 2 years, pulled him backward by his belt.
In the video, Pullease can be seen turning around and grabbing the officer by the throat before moving his hand to her shoulder.
Bodycam 1: Officers: “Just get in the car!”
Jean Similien: “Alright, I’m getting in.”
Sergeant Christopher Pullease: “Hey, look at me! Look at me! Look at me! You want to f***** play f****** games? You’re playing with the wrong motherf*****!”
Similien: “Do what you gotta do man! You gonna mace me, mace me.”
Pullease: “Look at me motherf*****. You want to play f****** games? You ever get disrespectful with my officers I will remove your f****** soul from you f****** body!”
That’s when the female officer pulls him away.
Pullease reacts: “What the f*** you… don’t ever f****** touch me again!”
Female officer: “No! . . Sir!”
Pullease: “Get the f*** off me!”
Female officer: “Sir!”
After that, Pullease walked away and told the officer he would see her again soon.
Pullease: “And I’ll f****** see you in about 5 minutes!”
He came back and said this to the officers at the scene: “Everybody turn off their f****** cameras.”
What happens after that moment is not clear because that’s where all of the video and audio ends.
A criminal investigation into Pullease’s actions is ongoing. For now, he is suspended with pay.