Officials Release Audio From Bodycam Of Florida Sergeant Grabbing Officer By The Throat

Sunrise, FL – Sunrise police have released the audio that goes with the bodycam video of a sergeant grabbing a female officer by the throat after she tried to de-escalate a heated exchange with a handcuffed suspect (video below).

The Sunrise Police Department initially withheld the bodycam video because of the ongoing Internal Affairs investigation into Sunrise Police Sergeant Chris Pullease’s actions on Nov. 19, 2021, WSVN reported.

The incident occurred when Sunrise police officers responded to a call at a convenience store on Sunset Strip, WPLG reported.

Police said Jean Bernard Similien had battered several people and resisted arrest when officers took him into custody.

Bodycam video showed that Sgt. Pullease arrived on the scene as officers were struggling to get Similien into the back of a police car, WSVN reported.

“Get in the car, get in the car,” an officer off-camera said in the video.

“I don’t want to talk. It don’t matter; it’s my [expletive] rights,” Similien replied.

Police said Similien said something threatening to the officers before he was apprehended, WSVN reported.

“Y’all steady following me. If I open fire on one, two or three, I told y’all,” Similien said.

“Sir, are you threatening us?” an officer asked.

“Take it how you want to,” the suspect replied.

“Subject is threatening to open fire at this time,” the officer said into his radio.

“The suspect, why is he not detained yet?” someone asked over the radio.

Bodycam videos showed that when Sgt. Pullease arrived on the scene he went directly to the suspect with his pepper spray in his hand, WSVN reported.

“Just get in the car,” an officer told Similien in the video.

“All right, I’m getting in,” the suspect replied.

“Get your feet in,” an officer said as the handcuffed Similien scooted into the police car.

Bodycam video showed that was when Sgt. Pullease engaged the suspect, WSVN reported.

“Watch out, [expletive]. Hey, hey, look at me, look at me! Look at me!” Sgt. Pullease yelled at the suspect in the video.

“You wanna [expletive] play [expletive] games?” the sergeant continued. “You play with the wrong [expletive]!”

“Do what you gotta do, man. You gonna mace me? Mace me,” Similien told him in the video.

“Look at me, [expletive]. You wanna play [expletive] games? You wanna get disrespectful with my [expletive] officers? I will remove your [expletive] soul from your [expletive] body,” Sgt. Pullease told the suspect.

“Well, do it,” Similien replied.

That was when a Sunrise police officer who saw what was happening stepped in to de-escalate the situation between the sergeant and Similien.

The video showed the female officer grabbed Sgt. Pullease from behind by his gun belt and pulled him away from the police vehicle where the suspect was sitting.

The sergeant reacted quickly, and turned to grab the officer by the throat and pushed her back up against a police SUV, bodycam showed.

“[Expletive], don’t ever [expletive] touch me again,” Sgt. Pullease told the officer in the video.

“Sir,” the officer replied.

“Get the [expletive] off,” Sgt. Pullease yelled.

“Sir,” the officer replied again.

The bodycam video clearly showed Sgt. Pullease’s hand on the officer’s neck before he moved it to her shoulder.

The video showed Sgt. Pullease walked back to the police car and engaged Similien, again.

“We clear?” the sergeant asked the suspect.

“Yes, sir,” Similien replied.

Then Sgt. Pullease slammed the patrol vehicle door and turned and yelled at the officer who had intervened to de-escalate the situation.

“And I’ll [expletive] see you in about five minutes,” he told her in the video.

Bodycam video showed the sergeant, who is a 21-year veteran of the Sunrise Police Department, went back to his patrol car and then returned to talk to the waiting officers, WSVN reported.

“Everybody turn off their [expletive] cameras,” Sgt. Pullease said and then the video ended.

Sgt. Pullease remains on paid administrative leave while a criminal investigation into the incident is conducted, WSVN reported.

The name of the officer the sergeant assaulted has been withheld at her request under Marsy’s Law because she is a potential victim.

The officer has been a member of the Sunrise Police Department for less than three years, WSVN reported.

Watch the entire incident unfold in the video below. WARNING – Graphic Content and Obscene Language: