Philadelphia police inspector under investigation for alleged assault
Police Inspector James Smith is being investigated for allegedly beating up someone when he was off duty.
A high-ranking official in the Philadelphia Police Department has been stripped of his gun and is being investigated for allegedly assaulting a man, The Inquirer has learned.
The investigation of Inspector James Smith began after the alleged victim made a formal complaint, a department spokesperson said.
“We can confirm that there is an active Internal Affairs Bureau investigation involving Inspector James Smith that was initiated after receiving a citizen Complaint Against Police (CAP),” spokesperson Eric McLaurin said in a statement.
McLaurin said he was unable to provide details, including how the complaint started, because the investigation is active.
The department’s tight-lipped response contrasts with its handling of the case of Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna Jr., who was charged by District Attorney Larry Krasner in June for beating a protester with a metal baton during unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd. The beating was captured on video that spread widely on social media.
A week after Bologna’s arrest, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw fired him.
Jane Roh, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office, said, “We cannot comment on this matter at this time,” referring to the investigation of Smith.
According to a police source familiar with the case but not authorized to speak publicly about it, the incident involved Smith’s car and took place last month when he was off duty and in front of his home.
At the time, Smith was out of work on “injured on-duty status,” as he remains, said McLaurin, who added that his injury is not related to the complaint.
“Inspector Smith was relieved of his duty weapon as part of the initial Internal Affairs Bureau investigation into the CAP. Were Inspector Smith to return to full-duty status, he would be assigned to an administrative position pending the conclusion of the … investigation,” McLaurin said.
Smith, who could not be reached for comment, is paid $134,629 a year, according to city payroll records. The investigation was first reported by Serpico News, a Facebook channel operated by former city cop Andre Boyer.