Cobb County's police chief denounced Tuesday the actions of a former officer charged with sexually assaulting a woman while on duty.
Tim Cox held a press conference a day after the department arrested and charged Andres Martinez Alcaraz, 37, with one count each of sexual assault by a law enforcement officer and violation of oath by a public officer following an encounter he had while working his beat.
Cox said he was “extremely disturbed” and “appalled” by the allegations made against the former cop. Alcaraz’s actions surfaced last month when Cobb police were informed by their counterparts in Smyrna of a woman who said she was assaulted.
Cox said Alcaraz, who had been with the department for four years, responded to a suspicious person call around 12:30 a.m. on May 17 in the 2200 block of Benson Poole Road. The suspicious person turned out to be the woman Alcaraz is accused of assaulting. According to an arrest warrant, Alcaraz allegedly placed the woman into his Cobb police patrol car and drove her to the back of a building on South Cobb Drive where he assaulted her.
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Cobb officers tried to interview the woman, who they described as having a “transient background,” about the allegations, but she refused and “disappeared,” Cox said. A few weeks later, however, Cox said the woman approached two Cobb cops who were working a traffic incident and repeated her story.
“Our officers saw the importance of the matter and reached out and tried to facilitate a meeting between her and our detectives,” Cox said.
Cobb detectives went back to the area where the woman was known to frequent and located her within about 24 hours. Cox said the woman was initially reluctant to talk to police, but provided “very credible” evidence.
The chief declined to go into details about the case.
“We are confident in (the) evidence that it’s not a ‘he said, she said’ situation,” he added.
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The department then began its criminal and internal affairs investigations into Alcaraz’s alleged actions, Cox said. He was placed on leave while the investigation continued and on Sunday, Alcaraz submitted his resignation. The former officer, who lives in Acworth, was booked into the Cobb County jail Monday and remains held without bond.
Alcarez was assigned to the Cobb police department’s DUI Task Force. During his stint with Cobb police, Cox said Alcaraz had a few complaints filed against him for instances such as not thoroughly explaining why he conducted a traffic stop. The results of those complaints were either exonerations or deemed unfounded allegations.
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Cox said he has been with Cobb police for 34 years and at no time has the behavior Alcaraz is accused of ever been acceptable. The chief noted transparency, a solid reputation, professionalism and maintaining the public’s trust are top priorities for the Cobb County Police Department.
“These things remain crucial to our continued relationship to the public we serve and the community of which we are a part,” Cox said.
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