D.C. Officer From Hanover Charged With Several Assault Counts

HANOVER, MD — A Hanover man who has spent almost three decades as an officer with D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department, was arrested Wednesday and charged with touching three female colleagues without their consent earlier this year. He also was charged with threatening a fourth person at station houses.

Robert A. Anderson, 51, of Hanover, Md., was charged with several counts of simple assault and one count of threat to do bodily harm, all misdemeanors. He was released Aug. 14 and ordered to return to his court hearing Sept. 16.

Anderson has been employed with the department since 1990 and was assigned to the Fifth District. His police powers had been revoked and he has been assigned duties that do not require him to interact with the public.

“The Metropolitan Police Department does not condone any criminal or immoral conduct by an employee,” said Chief of Police Peter Newsham in a statement. “Officer Anderson’s actions are disgraceful and not a representation of the men and women of this agency.”

According to an arrest affidavit filed in D.C. Superior Court, two of the females involved and the civilian employee who filed a complaint is a man. The affidavit stated that Anderson "touched their shoulders or hair." One woman told police that Anderson pressed his lips to her ear. The male civilian informed officers that he attempted to intervene and pushed Anderson, who then removed a serrated blade from his pocket and held it by his side.