Austin Police Officer Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

AUSTIN, TX — An Austin police officer is under investigation for sexual misconduct, officials confirmed on Monday.

The investigation centers on Austin Police Department officer Walter Dodds, who has been an officer for the local force since December 2017, officials said in a prepared statement.

"APD takes all allegations of criminal conduct seriously and the SIU has executed a DNA search warrant in the case. In addition to the criminal investigation, the APD Internal Affairs Division is conducting an internal investigation into Officer Dodds’ alleged actions," police wrote.

Officials said the Office of Police Oversight will be involved in the internal investigation. In the meantime, Dodds has been placed on restrictive duty pending the outcome of the investigation. Dodds is asssigned to patrol in northeast Austin, officials noted.

No further details were released: "In order to maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigations, " police said, "we are unable to provide more information at this time."