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Oklahoma City Police Sergeant Suspended Pending Domestic Abuse Investigation

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma City police sergeant has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a domestic abuse investigation.

Police Capt. Steve McCool said Sgt. Darren Martin, a 12-year police veteran, was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on a domestic abuse complaint involving his 16-year-old daughter early Sunday. He was released on bond.

Under Oklahoma law, anyone convicted of domestic violence cannot carry a gun. Martin is now on paid administrative leave, and depending on what happens with the investigation, this could cost him his career.

Peggy Johnson, Martin’s neighbor, said she woke up early Sunday morning to police lights outside her northwest Oklahoma City home, and wondered if her safety was in jeopardy.

“I know he'd been on a narcotics raid recently. I figured somebody was going to blow the place up. Maybe somebody was going to shoot at him. I didn't know and I was concerned. My bedroom is back close to theirs too,” Johnson said.

But Martin wasn't under attack at his home, he was under arrest.

“There was enough probable cause early Sunday morning to believe there was a violation of this domestic abuse act, a crime had occurred,” Capt. Steve McCool said.

According to this police report, Sgt. Martin and his 16-year-old daughter had been arguing when she cussed at him. That argument escalated into a physical altercation.

Martin’s daughter showed officers bruises on her arm and scratches on her wrist. As the officers continued to speak with the victim, they learned of a previous incident of a physical altercation had occurred three days earlier on Thursday.

The report claims Martin left his daughter with a black eye and placed her in "submissive holds." A witness also told police, when Martin drinks "he wouldn't let things go."

“It's obviously disappointing when anyone in law enforcement gets themselves into a situation like this,” Johnson said. “He seemed real nice. I talked to him, not very much. Just hello, that's about it. I'd wave at him and he was friendly. I knew his wife. She grew up next door, very nice family.”

NEWS 9 tried contacting Sgt. Martin for his side of the story, but he wasn't home.