By Police1 Staff
BOSTON — A woman was caught on camera resisting an officer’s orders, grabbing his baton and spraying him in the face with liquid, the Boston Globe reported.
Shelisa Bittle was confronted on a bus by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Officer Herby Jean on Aug. 18 after she was identified by a vendor for theft. When Jean asked Bittle to get off the bus, Bittle started screaming, according to an arrest report obtained by the publication.
Bittle reportedly reached into her purse and threw the suspected stolen items under the bus seats. Jean told Bittle he was arresting her for larceny and disorderly conduct, according to the report. Bittle responded with a “fighting stance” and Jean deployed pepper spray once. Bittle responded by spraying the officer in the face with a liquid.
She continued to assault the officer and grabbed his baton when Jean drew his service weapon.
“She still had two hands on my baton, when I took out my duty weapon in a low ready position,’’ Jean wrote in the report. “At no time did I point it towards Bittle or other passengers.’’
Bittle was charged with assault, battery on a police officer and assault, battery with a dangerous weapon. She pleaded not guilty Monday and was released on personal recognizance.
Bittle apologized for her actions after he court hearing.
“I apologize for my behavior,’’ Bittle said in a news conference. “All I have to say to the officer is if you had done your job properly, it would not have escalated that far. I would have given him my bag. I would have let him search it. But he was way too aggressive, way too aggressive.’’
Jean was placed on administrative leave, per policy, while the agency conducts an internal investigation.