BALTIMORE – A Baltimore police officer has been arrested on charges of first-degree assault and misconduct in office.
Baltimore police spokesman T.J. Smith said in a release Friday evening that the State’s Attorney charged Officer Kevin Battipaglia Thursday, in connection with an incident that occurred during an arrest Dec. 24.
Smith says the Battipaglia was immediately arrested and placed on suspension without pay. He’s been on the force for five years.
The department’s Office of Professional Responsibility is working with prosecutors. The retirement of the head of that office was also announced Friday.
Baltimore’s troubled police department has drawn particular scrutiny in recent years, as the city experiences an uptick in violence amid several departmental scandals, including a report on unconstitutional practices and federal indictments of several officers on corruption charges.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (PHOTO: Pixabay)
