Florida
Sergeant is charged with felony battery after he grabbed an officer by the neck during an arrest in Florida
Throughout the arrest of one other particular person, Pullease “is accused of deliberately touching or putting the feminine police officer in opposition to her will, assaulting her by holding pepper spray as much as her face, and assaulting the civilian male by holding pepper spray to his face,” the state lawyer’s assertion learn. He additionally faces a cost of tampering with proof, it stated.
“Sergeant Christopher Pullease was concerned in an incident in November 2021 that led to a joint prison investigation that was performed by the Dawn Police Division and the Broward State Legal professional’s Workplace,” Dawn police stated in a press release Thursday. “Sergeant Pullease has been on administrative go away all through the course of the investigation.”
SPD Chief Anthony W. Rosa, who spoke to WSVN solely, stated at the moment he felt it was mandatory to indicate the general public the bodycam video of the incident. “It’s vital to be clear,” he stated.
CNN is working to acquire the body-worn digicam video. SPD offered an edited model to WSVN.
On November 19, 2021, a suspect had been positioned beneath arrest for a violent felony, in line with the chief. As soon as the suspect was contained in the patrol car, Pullease “approached and engaged in a verbal altercation with the suspect in a way that I really feel was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Chief Rosa stated in January.
Pullease was allegedly yelling on the “suspect whereas holding his can of pepper spray,” stated the chief. “Though he didn’t deploy the spray, the sergeant’s actions unnecessarily elevated the demeanor of the suspect.”
Bodycam video of the incident exhibits a feminine officer operating to Pullease, grabbing him by his belt and pulling him again, away from a suspect inside a police car.
Pullease then turns and grabs the officer by the neck whereas pushing her backward, the edited video launched by the division exhibits.
“The actions of the sergeant and officer are stopped when the officer’s again comes into contact with a close-by police car,” stated Rosa, including that “upon listening to about this incident, I instantly relieved the sergeant of his supervisory obligations and ordered an inside affairs investigation.”
Pullease was arrested and pleaded not responsible to all 4 expenses in opposition to him throughout an arraignment listening to Thursday, courtroom information present.
Pullease has since bonded out of the Broward County Jail, in line with jail information. Pullease’s subsequent listening to is ready for September 8 in a Broward County courtroom, courtroom information present.
CNN has reached out to Pullease for remark. It isn’t clear whether or not he has retained an lawyer at the moment.
The Dawn Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 80 stated in January it supported the sergeant receiving a good investigation and an “unbiased and goal conclusion.”
It additionally accused Chief Rosa of “bias, prejudicial and unprofessional conduct.”
The assertion from lodge President Steven Negron added: “Chief Rosa shouldn’t be opining as to his private emotions or helping in publicly ridiculing the Sergeant to the group or his subordinates.”
CNN has since reached out to Dawn FOP for additional remark.
If convicted, “the utmost potential penalties are 5 years in state jail for felony battery on a legislation enforcement officer, one 12 months for assaulting a legislation enforcement officer, and 60 days for assault on a civilian,” in line with the state’s lawyer assertion. The utmost sentence for tampering with proof is 5 years, in line with the assertion.