What to Know
- The video was released by the department after months of request by NBC affiliate WPTV and an investigation into the incident by officials.
Body cam footage showed a September 2017 incident in which a major with the Boynton Beach Police Department was pulled over for excessive speeding – only to pull over the officer who let him off with a warning just moments before.
The video was released by the department after months of request by NBC affiliate WPTV and an investigation into the incident by officials.
In the video, Maj. Michael Johnson was pulled over while off duty in his unmarked patrol car along I-95 while going 97 miles per hour in a 65 MPH zone by Ofc. Mark Sohn in his K9 vehicle.
Johnson could be seen on body cam asking Sohn is he was serious about pulling him over with Sohn replying that he was “just trying to do my job” before letting him go with a warning. Sohn later told investigators he didn’t know he had pulled over his supervisor.
Moments later, Johnson can be seen on video pulling Sohn over and rattling off a list of traffic offenses he claims to have seen that included failing to signal a lane change. Johnson, who told investigators later he just wanted to “talk” to the officer, later ask if Sohn’s body camera is on before agreeing that he was speeding and asking if Sohn wanted to write a ticket.
Johnson was investigated on claims of unbecoming conduct, which was later rejected by City Manager Lori LaVerriere, and unsatisfactory performance – for which he received a written reprimand.
Johnson was not put on leave during the investigation and both men remain employed by the department.
