A Miami Township police officer on paid administrative leave since August has been charged with misdemeanor assault in Miamisburg Municipal Court.
Thomas Seifert, 39, is awaiting a jury trial and an administrative hearing after Chief John Krug asked the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to investigate allegations the officer physically assaulted a handcuffed man in August while on duty, according to court records and investigators.
“I cannot release any more details about the ongoing investigation other than there is one,” Krug said.
Krug’s department was working to fulfill a public records request made early Tuesday afternoon of the police incident reports that led to Seifert’s suspension.
Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mike Nolan confirmed his detectives investigated Seifert’s actions and found “criminal wrongdoing.” The matter was referred back to Krug’s department, and the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office brought the criminal charges in early January, according to court records.
A jury trial has been set in the case for Feb. 25.
Krug said he asked independent agencies to investigate Seifert’s alleged actions because other officers witnessed them and could testify in court.
Seifert, who lives in Miamisburg, has received his normal paycheck for the last five months while the criminal investigation was conducted, per the police union’s contract with the township, Krug said.
“There are two investigations here, a criminal investigation and an administrative investigation,” he said. “The criminal investigation gets priority over the administrative, and now that we have charges, a pre-disciplinary hearing will likely be held within the next week.”
Township trustees will then be presented with the results of that hearing and decide Seifert’s employment status.
Seifert is not in jail on the charge and his attorney was not available for comment this afternoon,
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