Police Misconduct Lawyer – A Baytown, Texas Police Officer, Now Suspended, is Indicted on a Bribery Charge
A 9-year Baytown Police Department veteran and member of its SWAT team was indicted on a second-degree felony charge of bribery on Thursday, May 25, 2017. The officer has been fired and indefinitely suspended for allegedly offering to dismiss traffic tickets in exchange for nude photos of an 18-year-old driver.
According to the teen, approximately an hour after getting a ticket in March 2017, the officer allegedly contacted her through social media. Several screenshots were reviewed by investigators, and it was concluded that the messages were allegedly and clearly coercive. The messages allegedly applied pressure on the 18-year-old to forward him nude pictures of herself so that her tickets would be reduced to warnings.
According to a spokesperson for the Baytown Police, the officer was indefinitely suspended in mid-May, right about the time a news organization was on the verge of exposing the charges against the police officer.
Investigators have stated so far that there appears to be no evidence that the officer’s supervisors were aware of his alleged criminal behavior. They further reported that there is no evidence that indecent proposals of this kind are a common practice among the officers in Baytown.
Lt. Steve Dorris with Baytown police said that officers are held to levels of professional, ethical, and moral standards and integrity of the highest degree and that the confidence and trust of the community are of chief importance.
Part of the investigation is to explore whether the officer who allegedly bribed the 18-year-old bribed others. So far, there is no sign of that, investigators say.
–Guest Contributor
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