RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Police Department confirmed a Grand Jury indicted an officer on charges of misdemeanor assault stemming from an April arrest.
Officer Paul Jenkins, 51, was placed on administrative leave with pay, per department policy, while an internal review of his actions takes place. That review, according to Richmond Police, won’t happen until after Jenkins’ legal proceedings concluded.
“[Jenkins] has been charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor, in connection to an incident that occurred while he was assisting officers with a DUI arrest in April,” a Richmond Police spokesperson wrote in a press release about the incident.
Police said Jenkins attempted to remove the alleged victim, who was being arrested, from the transport wagon when that person suffered “an abrasion to his head.” Police said medical personnel were called and treatment was refused. Richmond Police did not say how exactly the injury occurred.
“Officers reported the injury to patrol supervision,” the statement from police continued. “Following department policy and procedures, this incident was reviewed by the RPD’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Chief of Police, which forwarded the investigative findings to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, which is standard practice in these matters.”