Charges: Mpls police officer inappropriately touched teen during ride-alongs
Minneapolis Police Officer David Edward Campbell
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (KMSP) - A Minneapolis police officer has been charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct and one count of terroristic threats after allegedly abusing his teenaged son's 16-year-old girlfriend.
58-year-old David Edward Campbell of Bloomington is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday.
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo relieved Campbell of duty without pay on Monday. Campbell is still employed by the department, but is no longer on-duty and is not being paid. In a statement released on Tuesday, Arradondo said he would continue to review the charges.
"Let it be known that the allegations, if found to be true, would violate the very values and ethics that the MPD stands for," said Arradondo in the statement. "As I recently and clearly stated in my vision for the department, if an MPD employee breaches the public trust or brings contempt to the department and the badge we wear, they have forfeited their opportunity to serve on our department.”
According to the criminal complaint, Campbell's son and his girlfriend reported the alleged abuse to Bloomington police on Thursday.
The victim had been living with the Campbell family for a couple months. The family had been moving around a handful of hotels in the Twin Cities and was currently staying at the La Quinta Hotel in Bloomington.
The victim told police Campbell abused her at several of the hotels, most recently in Bloomington, as well as on ride-alongs in his squad car while he was on duty in Minneapolis.
In February, Campbell allegedly bought the victim lace bras and underwear and asked her to use his phone to take pictures of her wearing the items.
During at least two ride-alongs, Campbell inappropriately touched and kissed her breasts. During one of those incidents, Campbell also digitally penetrated her. When she tried to push him away, he told her to "stop resisting." He then grabbed her hand and placed it on his penis. He was wearing his full uniform and duty belt at the time.
On another ride-along, he told her he would have to shoot her in the head if she told on him because he would get in trouble and lose his kids.
In the criminal complaint, police noted she is "very fearful" Campbell will hurt her.
Police arrested Campbell on Friday evening.
Campbell declined to speak to police. When officers told him they would use a search warrant for his phones, he gave his passcode for his work phone, but claimed he could not remember the passcode for his personal phone.
Full statement from Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo:
“This afternoon I received a copy of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office complaint regarding Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) employee Dave Campbell. Yesterday I relieved this employee of duty without pay.
"I will continue to review these charges, and any additional information that should arise from this investigation.
"Let it be known that the allegations, if found to be true, would violate the very values and ethics that the MPD stands for. As I recently and clearly stated in my vision for the department, if an MPD employee breaches the public trust or brings contempt to the department and the badge we wear, they have forfeited their opportunity to serve on our department.”