A veteran Florida police officer is under investigation after he was caught on video grabbing a female cop by the throat when she tried to pull him away from a handcuffed suspect.
Sunrise police Sgt. Christopher Pullease, 46, is accused of attacking the 28-year-old female officer, who hasn’t been named, outside a Shop & Save convenience store on Nov. 19, WSVN reported.
The ordeal unfolded when Pullease and several other cops were arresting a man for aggravated battery after he had hit people outside the store.
Body camera footage, which was only released last week, showed Pullease walking up to the suspect as officers were struggling to get him into the police car.
Pullease allegedly leaned into the car, pulled out his pepper spray and aimed it at the suspect as he spoke to him.
The female cop suddenly ran over and tugged on Pullease’s belt in a bid to get him away from the suspect, the bodycam video showed.
Pullease whipped around, grabbed hold of the officer’s neck and shoved her against another patrol car, according to the footage.
Sunrise Police Chief Anthony Rosa described Pullease’s behavior as “disgusting.”
The chief released the video without any audio and refused to reveal what Pullease had said to the victim or his fellow officer.
Rosa said Pullease escalated what should have been a calm situation with the suspect.
“I find it to be inappropriate and unprofessional, because what he did is he escalated the situation when calm was actually required,” the chief said.
He praised the female cop, who has only been with the department for 2 1/2 years, for stepping in.
“I’m very proud of this police officer. She took some definitive action. I can only imagine what she must be feeling. She’s a newer officer, and he’s a very senior sergeant,” Rosa said.
Pullease has been assigned to desk work amid the ongoing probe and no charges have been filed against him.
