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Wilkes-Barre Cop Under Investigation for Domestic Violence

WILKES-BARRE — A Wilkes-Barre police officer was put on administrative leave with pay while he’s being investigated for domestic violence. This isn&...
al rodriguez

WILKES-BARRE -- A Wilkes-Barre police officer was put on administrative leave with pay while he's being investigated for domestic violence.

This isn't the first time the officer's behavior has come into question.

Wilkes-Barre police Sergeant Al Rodriguez's wife dialed 911 Wednesday night after she says her husband came home, went on a rampage, and hit her.

His colleagues on the Wilkes-Barre police force say Al Rodriguez is an expert on police dogs. One described him as a cop calm in a crisis. But the arrest report filed by Wilkes-Barre Township police reads the city cop, who lives there, was anything but calm Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

The report claims Rodriguez struck his wife, tossed food, and broke furniture, while she hid in an upstairs room. It is not the first time Sgt. Rodriguez has been accused of losing his cool.

Rodriguez is the officer identified in cell phone video taken on Chapel Street in Wilkes-Barre in November. The woman jostled here said Rodriguez got angry when questioning her about expired car registration stickers.

But an internal Wilkes-Barre police investigation found no wrongdoing on Rodriguez's part.

This time, Rodriguez faces criminal charges including assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment. For now, he is on administrative leave.

A fellow officer answered his door at his home and simply said, "no comment."

Mayor Tom Leighton is out of town, but sent a written statement saying he's upset and that Rodriguez's behavior is not a reflection of the Wilkes-Barre police department as a whole.

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