A 26-year-old Dallas police officer has been arrested on domestic violence charges after allegedly hitting his girlfriend while she was holding the couple’s child. The man was charged with family violence assault and family violence endangering a child. While the former charge is a misdemeanor, the latter is a felony.
The charges will be investigated by the Dallas Police Department’s division of internal affairs. Until the investigation is resolved and the officer’s criminal hearings are completed, he will be placed on administrative leave. The officer has been with the police department since April of 2009.
Police reports indicate that the incident occurred after the couple engaged in a verbal altercation in an apartment complex parking lot, which prompted the officer to take the infant from his wife and attempt to leave in his vehicle.
His girlfriend, 27, claims that when she reached for the child, the officer began to slam the car door on her leg, which resulted in bruises. The woman was able to remove the infant from the vehicle and began to walk away. At this time, she said that the officer hit her on the back of the head and then grabbed her arms and pushed her down onto a step. The woman said she was able to protect the baby in the fall.
Domestic abuse is a very serious issue in Texas and throughout the country. Being abused by someone you have a relationship with is a very difficult burden to bear. Fortunately, there are tools in place to help protect victims of domestic violence.
Source: Dallas Morning News, “Dallas officer arrested on charges of domestic violence, endangering child,” DMN Staff, 07 July 2011