Sep 30, 2008 10:33 pm US/Eastern
Lawrence Cop Accused Of Rape While On Duty
LAWRENCE (WBZ) ―
Lawrence police officer Kevin Sledge has cuffs around his wrist, instead of in his hands as he's charged as a fugitive from justice in a New Hampshire courtroom on Tuesday.
The Lawrence cop is accused of raping a woman while in uniform and on duty early Friday morning. "He left his post without permission," said Lawrence Police Chief John Romero. "He proceeded to go out in his private vehicle. He picked up a female that he put into his car, transported her back to a parking lot – a private parking lot in the vicinity of a police station. He returned to his assignment, which is about 20 minutes after the time he had left."
The officer was supposed to be working in the booking room, but police say over the next hour, Sledge made several trips to his car outside where he sexually assaulted the 23-year-old victim.
The victim called her friend for help and both of them reported the alleged assault together.
Sledge was arrested in his home state of New Hampshire Tuesday morning.
"What is it like for you as a police officer to see an officer charged with such a serious crime?" asked WBZ's Kathy Curran.
"It's very difficult," said Lt. Gary Fisher of the Pelham, New Hampshire Police Department. "I mean, he's innocent until proven guilty, so we have to go on that assumption until then, but it's very difficult to arrest another police officer."
"Officers are held to a higher level of integrity," said Romero. "We demand that from our officers. The public demands it."
After court, Sledge was supposed to be booked at the Lawrence Police Department, but he said he was having chest pains, so instead, he was taken to Lawrence General Hospital.
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