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(CNN) Police body camera footage shows an Oklahoma police chief asking the arrested officer to turn off the body camera after being pulled over on suspicion of DUI.
Sergeant Christopher Skinner pulled over Capt. James Matthew French, 55, shortly after 1:30 a.m. on March 12, according to the Oklahoma City Police incident report.Body camera footage released by the department .
CNN did not immediately receive comment on behalf of French from the Police Lodge 123 fraternity, which represents members of the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Bodycam video shows French telling Skinner that he is the Oklahoma City police chief. Tell his chest and Skinner to turn off his body camera. Less than a minute later, French again told officers to turn off the body cameras.
“Turn off the camera,” whispers the Frenchman. “please.”
“Huh?” says Skinner.
“Turn off the cameras,” French whispers again.
“I’m not going to turn the camera off,” Skinner replies.
Skinner asked the French how much had to drink. The Frenchman said he was at a poker game and had “three to four” beers about two hours before the traffic stopped.
The video shows French repeatedly asking Skinner to turn off his body camera as he struggles with a field sobriety test.
“I know you know our bodycam policy,” Skinner says in French. “We can’t turn this bodycam off.”
“Yes,” says French. “But I want to talk to you.”
“I’m the captain of the police department,” French said after a brief exchange.
“I know that. I’m a sergeant…and I’ve sworn to obey the law. Regardless, I’m not doing anyone any favors,” Skinner says.
“Okay, I’m not asking for that,” French says.
According to incident reports, the Frenchman was arrested and booked on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and showing no intention of turning.
Oklahoma City Police told CNN that French was on leave pending an investigation.
Police Chief Wade Gourley told CNN affiliate KOCO, “I can only speculate as to why Captain French said that, but the officers didn’t turn off the cameras and did what they should have done. I was doing exactly that,” he said.
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