ORLANDO, Fla. — Two Orlando police officers are speaking out after a fellow black officer said they profiled him, pulled his vehicle over and drew their guns on him while he was in plain clothes.
9 Investigates why those officers said they felt threatened and had to pull their guns during the traffic stop on Oct. 5.
Both officers, who didn't yet know the person they pulled over was off-duty Officer Janir Sims, said Sims was going 45 mph in a 30 mph zone near Michigan Street and DeLaney Avenue.
The officers said Sims slowed down, then suddenly turned across traffic and pulled into a parking lot. They said they thought the driver might have been fleeing, so they blocked him in when they got in the parking lot.
The officers said Sims then reached across his car so they drew their guns and ordered to see his hands in fear that he was reaching for a weapon.
That's when Sims showed them his OPD identification.
The two officers said Sims then got out of his car and started yelling and accusing them of profiling. They said he accused them of viewing him as what he called an "n-word."
Tow truck operator Tony Volta, who works with police to impound vehicles, said he was driving by and heard the driver yelling at the two officers, so he started videotaping.
Volta told Channel 9 he didn't know the driver was also an Orlando officer until he had given a second statement to police investigators.
Volta told police he saw Sims get out of his car angry, flexing his muscles and calling the two officers "crackers."
Volta's video was taken by authorities, but they have not yet said what is shown on it.
OPD officials said the statements given to Internal Affairs in the profiling investigation have "resulted in the initiation of an Internal Affairs investigation regarding the conduct of one of the officers involved."
Channel 9's Kathi Belich was told the investigation is into Sims as OPD said the other officers were cleared in the profiling complaint.
Sims told a supervisor the night of the traffic stop that he figured nothing would happen to them and he would be portrayed as "the angry black officer."
WFTV
