In an unsettling turn of events, two Detroit police officers, a married couple, have been charged with child abuse, including using "tactical moves" learned in their profession on their children, according to ClickOnDetroit. The officers, Jared Shaw and Liana Shaw, who reside in Flint, stand accused of a confrontation that escalated into physical abuse on March 1.
After Flint police responded to their home earlier this month, it was discovered that there were signs of abuse on a 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, who are Liana Shaw’s children from a previous relationship and Jared Shaw’s stepchildren. While responding to the incident, the officials noticed red marks on the children's necks, suggesting the application of chokeholds, with an altercation reportedly starting after a domestic squabble between the parents, detailed by sources close to the investigation that FOX 2 Detroit communicated.
The suspects are facing multiple charges including assault with intent to do great bodily harm by strangulation, and several degrees of child abuse among other misdemeanors. Both officers have been released on bond following their arraignment, with their next court date set for May 30. The Flint Police Department, tasked with the investigation, is now handling what has become a stark contradiction to the oath these officers swore to uphold.
"No one is above the law and perpetrators of violence and child abuse, regardless of their position, will be held accountable under the law. My office is doing all we can to make sure the young victims are safe and that justice is served," Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton stated in a declaration, as per FOX 2 Detroit. Currently suspended, the officers' fate within the department awaits the outcome of an internal investigation, which according to a DPD spokesperson, will "evaluate all evidence and determine the appropriate departmental charges," as conveyed by WXYZ.
The Detroit Police Department, amidst this scandal, reiterated that their policy dictates an automatic suspension for officers facing criminal charges. A clear message attempts to be sent: that the badge cannot serve as a shield against the ramifications of one's violent transgressions within the confines of their domestic life. With Flint Police still unraveling the details of this grim case, the community watches, reminded of the all-too-human failings masked behind the uniforms of law enforcement.
