Police officer arrested on child pornography charges

    AKRON, Ohio (WEWS) -- An Akron police officer has been arrested on charges of child pornography.

According to police, the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigations took Geoffrey Parker into custody on Friday.

He has been charged with multiple counts of Pandering Obscenity of a Minor and Illegal Use of a Minor in Nudity-Oriented material, say police.

Parker has been on the force for four years and has been placed on administrative leave with pay.

“I am sickened to learn of these charges against one of our employees. I thank the Bureau of Criminal Investigation for handling this case and trust that the judicial and legal process will reveal the truth. Anyone engaging in this behavior should be held accountable for their actions to the fullest extent possible by law. I’m confident that justice will be served," police chief Brian Harding said in a statement.

"I find the alleged behavior of Officer Parker to be disgusting and morally reprehensible. I have every confidence that the court system will work as intended to provide justice in this case. I appreciate the Attorney General's office for their investigation and their work to protect innocent victims," Mayor Shammas Malik said.

The Akron Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards and Accountability will conduct an internal investigation.