Tennessee: Police arrested on domestic abuse charges keep their jobs, is this a national problem?
A domestic violence arrest won't necessarily end your career at the Metro Police Department. You're more likely to get a few days off.
At least 10 Metro Police officers have been arrested on domestic violence charges in the last five years. Eight of those were allowed to keep their jobs after their arrests, and the remaining two cases are pending. Discipline for improper conduct stemming from those arrests has ranged from a two- to an eight-day suspension. In one of the latest cases, Officer Jeffrey Sells resigned before he could be disciplined for a 2009 arrest.
But experts on police accountability say departments should have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to their own being arrested on domestic violence charges. And the fact that one officer was arrested twice on domestic violence charges suggests the department's disciplinary policies may not be adequate.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police says departments need to go further than relying on criminal courts. A 2003 model policy the group drafted suggests departments fire officers who are found in internal police investigations to have violated the law.
"If an officer goes and commits a crime, he or she should not be a police officer," said John Firman, director of research for the chiefs association. "We always recommend that police do not rely on criminal court actions, because the truth is, what really has to stand the test of time is the position of the department on the issue."
Link:
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101206/NEWS01/12060338/Metro-cops-arrested-on-domestic-violence-charges-keep-their-jobs