Officer faces more scrutiny

Review of bodycam footage finds two incidents that were seen as troubling

The Fort Lauderdale cop under investigation for pushing a kneeling woman at a demonstration against police brutality faces more scrutiny after a review of hundreds of minutes of bodycam footage, Police Chief Rick Maglione said Tuesday. Police have reviewed footage from past cases involving Officer Steven Pohorence, 29, and found two incidents troubling enough to refer to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for investigation and the Broward State Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges.

In one of the newly released videos, it appears Pohorence places his knee on the neck of a suspect who refused orders to leave a parked bus and terminal — the brief moment is reminiscent of the eight minutes, 46 seconds a Minneapolis officer spent restraining George Floyd by pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck. Floyd’s death sparked an international wave of Black Lives Matter protests.

Unlike Floyd, the man in the Pohorence video was clearly resisting, but it will be up to law enforcement and prosecutors to determine whether Pohorence might have gone too far.

In the other video, Pohorence walks toward the suspect who allegedly trespassed on someone’s property and tells him to, “Put your hands behind your back or I’ll put my hands on you.” The suspect, who is facing Pohorence, replies

“Bro, please don’t do it” and backs away with his hands raised.

Pohorence appears to place his hand on his gun and the suspect says he’ll leave but continues backing away with his hands raised. Pohorence then grabs the suspect’s shoulder and attempts to swipe his legs out from under him. The suspect falls face down to the ground, and Pohorence pins him down by placing his hand on the back of his neck as the suspect screams at Pohorence to let him go.

Pohorence has been on

the job less than four years and, according to a review by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, has used force in more than 70 instances, the majority of the people Black. All of his use-of-force cases prior to May 31 were reviewed, without checking bodycam video, and found to adhere to department policy.

But those reviews somehow did not include his own bodycam footage, the chief said. That is changing, starting immediately.

“I regret to say we probably missed an opportunity there to incorporate that every review of every use of force would include a review of any associated body worn camera footage,” Maglione said. “Our review of every use of force by an officer used to just include a review of the written police reports. … Now, it is going to include a review of all associated body camera footage. In order to make sure we can complete that in a timely manner, we are also increasing our staffing in the office of internal affairs and adding one sergeant” to the team.

Pohorence has been on paid leave since he was relieved of duty June 1, a day after he shoved a protester May 31 in downtown Fort Lauderdale. That incident is also under investigation by the FDLE. The State Attorney’s Office has said it is waiting for the outcome of the state investigation to decide whether criminal charges are appropriate.

“I am asking for the public’s patience,” Maglione said. “I’m asking for the public to retain their faith and trust in the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. And I can assure you that when this investigation is concluded, both criminally and administratively, that if there is appropriate action to be taken, it will be taken and it will be swift.”

The new footage was uncovered when attorney Christina Currie, of Lauer and Currie P.A., chair of the Citizens Police Review board for the city, filed a public records request — police and other public agencies typically review such footage before releasing them to the public.

Currie said she was pleased with the updated policy.

“I was happy to see that they’re doing what common sense should have told them do anyway,” she said. “You have to look at the information you have.” Had the policy been in place before, “maybe we could have addressed this sooner,” she said.

Efforts to reach Pohorence have been unsuccessful, and his union representatives have so far declined to comment on the case. A call to the union on Tuesday afternoon was not immediately returned.