SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — A South Florida police sergeant who was recorded grabbing a colleague by the neck when she tried to deescalate a situation involving a suspect is under criminal investigation, officials said.
Sunrise police Sgt. Christopher Pullease has also been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, the agency said in a statement.
“This is a result of criminal allegations that have been uncovered due to the internal affairs investigation. The Sunrise Police Department is working in conjunction with the Broward State Attorney’s Office during this criminal investigation.”
The 21-year veteran of the department had been placed on desk duty five days after the Nov. 19 incident.
The suspect had been handcuffed and placed into a cruiser when Pullease pointed pepper spray at him. The unidentified female officer ran to Pullease and pulled him by the belt away from the suspect, the video showed.
Pullease turned and put his left hand on her throat before pushing her back toward another police cruiser.
