OKLAHOMA-- A police officer and
former football star in Oklahoma City is facing some serious charges from his
own police department.
According to CBS Affiliate
KWTV, the allegations came to light after a 57-year-old grandmother made claims
that Holtzclaw forced her perform oral sex in June. The officer was placed on
leave and the investigation started.
During a court hearing Friday,
the judge set Holtzclaw's bail at $5 million.
Investigators said so far seven
victims have come forward, but they believe there are more.
According to an affidavit
obtained by Associated Press Friday, Holtzclaw was arrested on charges of
serial sexual assault preyed on women in the rundown neighborhoods he was
assigned to patrol - picking some up off the street, pulling others over at
traffic stops and in one case taking a woman to a nearby school.
"They're retracing all of
his contacts, as many as they can, especially traffic stops," said police
spokesman Capt. Dexter Nelson.
The investigation began - and
Holtzclaw was immediately placed on leave - when police said a woman complained
in June that Holtzclaw had sexually assaulted her during a traffic stop on a
boulevard about two miles north of the state Capitol. The alleged incident
prompted police to check other contacts Holtzclaw had with the public since
beginning street patrols about 18 months ago.
Officers identified seven
victims and eight incidents before accusing Holtzclaw of crimes including rape,
sexual battery and indecent exposure. Police Chief Bill Citty published
Holtzclaw's photograph with the hope that other women would step forward.
District Attorney David Prater said formal charges could be lodged by Aug. 29.
Holtzclaw had not previously been disciplined in his three-year tenure with the
department.
Police reports said the victims
were all black women between the ages of 34 and 58. Holtzclaw, who played
college football at 6-foot-1, 246 pounds, would come across the woman while on
patrol. Three were assaulted in his car. One victim was taken to a school in
the Spring Lake Division where he worked, according to the affidavit.
"Did he feel that these
people were so disenfranchised that they could be thrown away because no one
would care about their safety?" asked state Rep. Connie Johnson, who
represents the area in the state Legislature.
Police said it wasn't clear if
Holtzclaw targeted victims because of their race.
"All of this victims were
black, but that is probably because the area where he worked," Nelson
said, referring to the mixed race neighborhood of black, Hispanic and
Vietnamese residents as well as some gentrification drawing more whites into
the area.
Holtzclaw joined the force
after parlaying a stellar high school and college football career into a
criminal justice degree from Eastern Michigan University.
Holtzclaw was an all-state
football player in his senior year at Enid, leading the team with 123 tackles.
The Eastern Michigan football media guide in 2008 featured him at the top of
its roster page - touting his weightlifting abilities and his starting in every
game since his arrival on campus in 2005. He tried out for the Detroit Lions
after he was not taken in the NFL draft, but was cut from the team.
His former high school football
coach, Tom Cobble, said the allegations were "absolutely a shock."
"It's so totally out of
character. It's unbelievable." said Cobble, who retired from coaching at
Chickasha, Oklahoma last year.
"We need to reach out to
him and make sure he knows he's loved," Cobble said.
A feature article in the Enid
News & Eagle newspaper last year quoted Holtzclaw as saying he wanted to
join the police department's anti-gang unit "where you knock and go in
screaming."
"The gang unit reminds me
most of playing football," Holtzclaw was quoted as saying. It reminds me
of that adrenaline rush. You are going, going ... chasing bad guys."
Nelson said Holtzclaw's
colleagues were upset at the allegations against a police officer.
"Most of us see it as a
black eye to our profession and our department," he said
