There are strange things happening in Berthoud, Colorado. The small town’s police chief and second officer have been placed on leave. Both are under criminal investigation related to charges of Child Abuse – C.R.S. 18-6-401. A sergeant from the Larimer County Sheriff’s office is acting as police chief while the investigation continues.
Police Aren’t Always to Be Trusted
According to reports, the second officer is being investigated for child abuse after a video that allegedly shows him beating his daughter surfaced. His accuser is a former girlfriend who said she took the video while she was dating the officer. The shadowy video shows a man repeatedly striking at what appears to be a child. If the second officer is convicted of child abuse, he will face serious consequences: He could face jail time, a fine and the almost certain loss of his job.
This isn’t the first time the officer in question has been in trouble with the law. He was placed on leave in another county for alleged Domestic Violence –C.R.S. 18-6-800.3, after which he resigned. He also has had several other brushes with the law in his past. These allegations may not be true (the woman who is accusing him is, after all, his ex-girlfriend), but it is important to realize that the police aren’t above the law. They are people just like the rest of us.
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Stepping in During Investigation
A sergeant from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has stepped in as police chief in Berthoud during the ongoing investigation. This is because Berthoud’s police chief is also on leave following allegations that he ignored the misdeeds of his police officer. The woman who took the video claims that she turned the video in to the police chief in April, but he did nothing about it, and no action was taken against the police officer accused of child abuse. Because of his failure to act, the chief is also under investigation. It will be interesting to see what happens with this case involving the people who are sworn to protect the public.