A Louisville police officer involved in the infamous arrest of Scottie Scheffler earlier this year was arrested Friday.
Officer Javar Downs was charged with official misconduct and theft after reportedly stealing $1,000 or more as he was accused of pocketing $4,000 from a jailed suspect, according to Wave 3 News.
Louisville police communications later revealed that Downs has been placed on emergency leave and faces termination from the department. The Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper reported.
“Allegations of officer misconduct are taken very seriously,” LMPD communications director Angela Ingram told the outlet.
‘LMPD prioritizes accountability and remains committed to conducting thorough and prompt investigations in the best interest of all parties involved.’
Louisville Police Officer Javar Downs was arrested Friday and faces multiple charges.
Scheffler was arrested for a traffic violation, but Louisville police later dropped the charges.
Ingram revealed that a civilian had filed a complaint against Downs.
In May, Scheffler was arrested before the second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla due to a traffic misunderstanding following a fatal crash involving a bus and a pedestrian at the major.
In the end, the charges were dismissed. Shortly after his arrest, Scheffler was released from jail in time to play an incredible round of golf.
That’s not to say that this whole ordeal hasn’t taken a toll on him, or his reputation.
Downs admitted he did not have his body camera on during Scheffler’s arrest in Valhalla
Scheffler played a remarkable second round at the PGA Championship, hours after his arrest
Shortly after being cleared of wrongdoing, Scheffler wrote in a statement: “I want to put this incident behind me and move forward, and I hope he does the same.
“Police officers have a difficult job and I hold them in high regard. This was a serious communication error in a chaotic situation.”
Downs later admitted he did not have his body camera on at the scene where Scheffler was arrested. Activating the body camera is part of LMPD’s arrest protocol.