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A former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer stole money from a man he had arrested. Henry Chapman, previously arrested on embezzlement charges in March, took $900 in cash from a suspect.A former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer stole money from a man he had arrested. Henry Chapman, previously arrested on embezzlement charges in March, took $900 in cash from a suspect. According to WSOC, footage shows a motorcycle officer pulled over a man for speeding and takes him into custody due to an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation. The officer then searches the suspect and finds two bundles of cash.
When Chapman arrives on the scene, the motorcycle officer places all the man's belongings, including the cash, in the front area of Chapman's patrol car. Chapman's body camera video then shows him driving the arrested individual to a police building, but the recording stops upon arrival around 5:10 p.m.
In another video from Chapman's sergeant, the man in custody voices suspicion that Chapman stole his money. "I just want to see, I'm not going to lie, can you check? I'm not going nowhere, can you check your fellow officer for me please?" the man said.
Though Chapman insists "We're good," the persistent claims prompt officers to inspect his patrol car. There, tucked away in a door compartment, they locate what the man says was around $1,000 in cash. "Look, no cap, I'm not even going to touch it, there's blue hundreds right here," the man confirms.
Within six hours, Chapman was arrested and charged with embezzlement. He resigned the next day after 15 years with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
In a statement, Police Chief Johnny Jennings condemned Chapman's actions as a crime and contradiction of police principles. "The video shows a CMPD police officer committing a crime, stealing money from a person who was in his custody. Adherence to the law is an absolute for police officers," Jennings said.
However, he praised the detectives who "took those allegations seriously enough to fully investigate this case which led to the arrest of one of our own." Jennings added, "This incident does not represent or define the men and women of CMPD who show up every day and night to serve our community."
The department also cited Chapman for body camera and conduct violations in addition to the criminal charge.
