ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A former corporal with the North County Police Cooperative faces one charge of kidnapping and two counts of assault.
James Sims was charged Monday following an investigation by the department. He’s accused of committing the crimes while serving as an officer.
“We’re not going to sweep anything under the rug,” said Major Ron Martin with the North County Police Cooperative.
He said the department investigated as soon as it was made aware of allegations stemming from two separate incidents.
Sims is accused of coming to the aid of his brother, who was involved in a dispute with an individual in November. Sims is accused of handcuffing the individual and allowing the brother to beat the man before letting him run away.
In April, Sims was accused of assaulting the same man he handcuffed in November. Following the April incident, the North County Police Cooperative was made aware of the allegations.
Martin said this is the only time one of the department’s officers has faced a criminal investigation. He hopes the charges do not diminish the department’s achievements in its nearly nine-year existence.
“Solving violent crime, solving murder investigations, reinstalling the trust of the communities we patrol with the police,” Martin said. “Instituting programs for kids in schools and having school sports, neighborhood watch programs, you name it.”
A statement from St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell reads as follows:
“While these charges are allegations, I commend the North County Police Cooperative for their diligent investigation into the alleged misdoings of one of their own officers. We have to hold police officers accountable to the law they’re sworn to uphold if we want the trust of the public we are all working to protect.”
