The state’s police licensing arm is opening an investigation into the
certifications of two DeKalb County policemen
accused of allegedly beating handcuffed teens.
The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, the agency
that certifies police, is looking at whether Arthur Parker III and Blake Andrew
Norwood should continue to be able to serve as police officers in Georgia.
They and DeKalb police Sgt. Anthony Remone Robinson were indicted
Thursday on aggravate assault, battery, violation of oath, giving false
statements and racketeering charges.
All three initially were told to surrender Thursday afternoon at the DeKalb County jail. Robinson turned himself in
Thursday before the 4 p.m. deadline, and Norwood was booked into the jail just
after 10:30 a.m. Friday, authorities said.
Parker remained at large, and an arrest warrant was issued for him, but DeKalb County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt.
Adrion Bell said Friday evening that Parker would not have to surrender until
his bond hearing May 18. His warrant was stayed, Bell said.
Parker and Norwood are accused of beating teens on two occasions, in
2010 and again in 2011, and were arrested and charged with battery in November
for the latter incident.
P.O.S.T. officials said neither the officers nor DeKalb police reported
the arrests to the agency.
P.O.S.T. is supposed to be notified within 15 days of an officer being
arrested, charged or terminated, said Brad Pope, director of the agency's
investigative division.
“If any certified individual is arrested for a crime, the first
obligation is on the officer [arrested] to report it,” Pope said. “Quite
frankly, a lot of agencies get caught up in serious internal investigations and
overlook it.”
Parker and Norwood resigned shortly after their arrests to avoid being
fired. Robinson was put on paid administrative leave when police officials learned
he was being investigated by the DeKalb County
District Attorney's office. He remained on paid administrative leave late
Friday afternoon.
Should P.O.S.T. council members rule to terminate the former officers'
certification after the investigation, they won’t be able to work as sworn
police officers in Georgia.
“The council will take into consideration the crime they were arrested
for and whether they reported the arrests when the decision is made,” Pope
said.
The three officers are alleged to have beaten four teens -- three of
them juveniles -- on Dec. 23, 2010, and Nov. 15, 2011. Robinson was said to
have ordered the beatings, according to a 15-count indictment that names all
three officers.
One of the teens, Travarrius Williams, was 18 at the time of his attack
and has sued Parker and Norwood.