Police on St. Thomas have arrested Derrick Callwood and charged him with assault and battery/domestic violence after his girlfriend told police he grabbed, dragged and pushed her out of his apartment, causing minor bruising, according to the V.I. Police Department.
Callwood is employed by the Police Department and, upon his arrest, has been placed on leave without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
According to the preliminary police report, the victim attempted to call police about 6 p.m. Tuesday and called back at 8:50 p.m., at which time police were dispatched to the scene at a residence in Hidden Valley. Domestic violence officers conducted an investigation and arrested Callwood at about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Callwood is an 11-year veteran of the VIPD.
Every police commissioner, police chief and training officer consistently emphasizes the consequences of domestic violence to all police officers, the department said in its report of the incident. In the police academy, at graduation and numerous times during their employment with the VIPD, officers are told that their involvement in domestic violence can be the end of their career in law enforcement.
"As police officers, they must practice restraint, rise above personal disputes and just walk away," according to the news release by Public Information Officer Melody Rames.
