By CHUCK WILLIAMS
A former Columbus Police
officer was arrested Wednesday and charged with two felony counts of violation
of oath of office and two misdemeanor counts of simple battery as part of a
Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe into his on-duty conduct.
John Allen Jr. turned himself
into the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and was released. Allen, 40, had been
with the department for 13 years and is currently working with Abercrombie
Bonding of Columbus. Allen was released on bonds totaling $6,000.
Allen resigned from the police
department May 19, one month after he was placed on paid administrative leave,
according to Assistant Police Chief Lem Miller. Allen is the son of retired
Muscogee County Superior Court Judge John Allen.
Allen is accused of physically
assaulting two juvenile burglary suspects who were in custody about 8:30 a.m. April
14, Miller said. Allen was a corporal in the fugitive unit of the Bureau of
Investigative Services when he responded to a reported burglary at a relative's
home on Whippoorwill Lane, Miller said. The alleged burglary was at the home of
Allen’s mother, said attorney Stacey Jackson, who represents Allen.
After a foot chase, two
officers apprehended two suspects, one 15 and the other 16, according to GBI
agent in charge Fred Wimberly. “After the arrests had been made, Corporal Allen
Jr. responded to the scene, got into the rear of each patrol vehicle and
physically hit and choked the juveniles,” according to a GBI release. The
suspects were handcuffed when Allen approached them, Miller said. Portions of
Allen’s interactions with each suspect were captured on audio and video, Miller
said.
“This happened in front of
several officers and the conduct was such that he was reported,” Miller said.
Jackson said Thursday he has
been involved throughout the process but he did not want to get into the
specifics of the case.
“I don’t know what the police
officers on the scene saw or didn’t see,” Jackson said. “We will conduct our
own investigation to see what neighbors in the neighborhood saw.”
The department’s Office of
Professional Standards began an investigation when the police department
suspected possible criminal conduct. Chief Ricky Boren called for a
simultaneous GBI investigation on April 29, Miller said.
The police department’s
internal investigation concluded on June 6 with the finding that Allen
committed eight policy violations, the most serious of which were violation of
oath of office and willful or neglectful mistreatment of a prisoner.
According to Georgia Code, any
public officer who willfully and intentionally violates the terms of his oath
as prescribed by law shall, faces between one and five years in prison if
convicted.
The case is now assigned to
Superior Court. Jackson said he did not think it had been assigned to a judge
yet. Allen’s father retired from Superior Court in 2013, which could force a
number of the local judges to recuse themselves.
“It could go to a senior judge
or a judge from another circuit,” Jackson said
