Lorenzo Caldwell
The Chattanooga Police Department opened an internal investigation into an allegation of misconduct involving a probationary officer in CPD's Neighborhood Policing Bureau on Saturday.
CPD launched the Internal Affairs investigation after the victim filed a report with CPD’s Special Victims Unit on Sunday.
CPD relieved Probationary Officer Lorenzo Caldwell, 22, of duty on Sunday. He will remain on administrative leave until a final disposition is reached in the investigation.
Investigators with CPD's Special Victim's Unit have opened a criminal investigation after determining that Officer Caldwell was the primary aggressor in a domestic assault incident.
Officer Caldwell was arrested Sunday morning, charged with domestic assault, and transported to the county jail.
Police responded to a call of domestic disorder at 1920 Gunbarrel Road where Officer Caldwell told police he had been in an argument with his wife.
Mrs. Caldwell told a police officer that Caldwell got up at 4 a.m. to get ready for work and turned up the television, which was already on, to a volume that kept her from sleeping and aggravated her. She told police she unplugged the speakers, and Officer Caldwell plugged them back into the wall, which was behind the headboard of the bed. She said this went back and forth several times.
Mrs. Caldwell told police that Officer Caldwell then laid on top of her on the bed so that she could not unplug the speakers again. She said he laid prone on top of her for several minutes while she told him to get off. She then began to kick him and he got up off of her.
Officer Caldwell confirmed they had argued about plugging the speakers and TV into the wall, but denied lying on top of her on the bed.
Mrs. Caldwell said she then got up and unplugged the TV near the foot of the bed on a dresser. When she turned around she said Officer Caldwell "football tackled" her, and they both fell to the floor, causing her to hit her head and scrape her elbow. Mrs. Caldwell said he then held her down on the floor. She said she took a piece of weight lifting equipment and swung it at him, attempting to get him off of her. When that didn't work she tried with a shoe. She said Officer Caldwell then got off of her.
Officer Caldwell said Mrs. Caldwell "lunged towards him causing them to trip each other." He said they were on the floor for a short time and his wife swung a dumbbell at him but he did not feel threatened.
Mrs. Caldwell said she went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She said Officer Caldwell walked past her and bumped her as he walked by into the laundry room, and again when he walked back through the kitchen. Officer Caldwell said he may have bumped her because it is a small area and he was carrying a laundry basket.
Mrs. Caldwell said she then grabbed a knife and fork from the dish rack and threw them at Officer Caldwell. She said he then slapped her on the back of her head. Officer Caldwell said the utensils did not hit him.
Mrs. Caldwell told police she then went out to her car to cool down while Officer Caldwell was on the porch. Officer Caldwell called the police. He also had a small abrasion, but said he was not sure when it occurred during the incident.