Lately, incidents from around the country have been reported in the news that have put a negative light on law enforcement officers. Officers here in Oklahoma City are no exception. Recently, an incident put one police officer in the news when he was accused of domestic violence.
One of the residents in his neighborhood took cell phone video footage of officers surrounding the officer’s home with their guns drawn. According to reports, police responded to a call regarding domestic abuse shortly before 10 a.m. on the day in question. Supposedly, the man assaulted someone in the home with what was only described as a dangerous weapon.
When the Oklahoma City police officer emerged from his home, he was arrested on suspicion of assault and battery and domestic abuse. Neighbors in the officer’s Mustang neighborhood gave statements they often heard the officer and his wife yelling at each other. Police failed to confirm whether the man’s wife was the alleged victim, nor did they divulge any additional details regarding the alleged assault.
The media has been quick to point out that the officer was involved in a controversy from 2002 in which he and another officer were videotaped severely beating a suspect they were trying to bring into custody. No criminal charges were filed against the officers in connection with the incident. However, that has not stopped news outlets from portraying the officer as potentially capable of violence. As for the man’s status as an officer, it was reported that he was placed on paid leave pending the resolution of this situation.
No one should rush to judgment regarding whether or not this man is guilty of domestic violence, especially not based on an incident that occurred over a decade ago. He has the same rights as anyone else accused of a crime, including the presumption of innocence until he is proven guilty in a court of law. Every aspect of a person’s life is affected by allegations of criminal conduct. Therefore, it is crucial that he or she is given the opportunity to refute the charges free from any preconceived notions propounded by the media and the community at large.
Source: koco.com, “Oklahoma City police officer arrested on complaint of domestic abuse“, Kim Passoth, May 1, 2015
