Dundalk Training Cop Charged with Sexual Assault

A Baltimore County Police Department officer has been assigned to administrative duties and charged  with sexual assault as the result of an incident that occurred in March at the department's training academy in Dundalk.

Officer Harold Williams, 42, is charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and second-degree assault — both misdemeanors, according to Baltimore County Public Safety spokeswoman Elise Armacost.

Williams is accused of sexually assaulting the victim — also a county police officer — while giving her a foot rub after some physical training at the academy on the of The Community College of Baltimore County, according to a WBAL-TV report.

Both officers were off duty when the incident occurred, according to Armacost.

"Officer Williams, who had been employed as one of the police department's physical fitness trainers, was helping the victim with her physical training regimen," Armacost said in an email to Patch. "It is fairly common for officers to work with each other on fitness issues. During the course of the training (session), Officer Williams sexually assaulted her."

While giving the victim a foot massage, Williams reportedly exposed himself and started rubbing his groin area on the victim's feet, according to the  WBAL-TV report.

Williams has been on the county police force for nearly 23 years, according to an ABC2 news report, and was a member of the police tactics team at the academy.

Police officials took action as soon as the incident became known, Armacost said.

Williams was removed from his position at the academy, transferred to administrative duties and had his police powers suspended, according to Armacost. His service weapon was also confiscated.

The department will conduct a full internal investigation pending the outcome of the criminal case, Armacost said.

"The department does not tolerate criminal misconduct from our officers," Armacost said. "We treat such cases with the utmost seriousness."