'Disappointment': DPD Chief White reacts to suspended officers charged with child abuse

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Two Detroit police officers are suspended, charged with child abuse. DPD officers Jared Shaw and Liana Shaw who are married, are facing allegations of assault with intent to do great bodily harm by strangulation, several child abuse charges and other counts.

Detroit Police Chief James White says he got a call from the prosecutor about these allegations against two of his officers. He says any allegation of abuse is troubling and that police are held to a higher standard.

"Certainly a police officer being accused of such a serious offense there’s a heightened sense of disappointment," he said. "That’s not representative of the hardworking men and women 2600 strong that show up wearing this badge and uniform with pride."

The accusations include both Jared and Liana putting Liana’s two children in chokeholds - a 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. Her son reportedly tried to intervene when the pair had been fighting earlier.

"He attempted to break it up," Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said. "He went off to school, he was very upset, he called his grandmother. She brought hime home. At that point the step dad threw a backpack at him."

All of this happened in Flint – back in March - where the Shaws live.

"They wanted back a cell phone that they had allegedly given to the two kids," Leyton said. "That resulted in some pat downs, like searches that you see police do on suspects."

And according to the prosecutor, investigators have more than just the kids words to go on about the chokeholds.

"The chokeholds resulted in some redness that was seen by investigators in the neck area and we have photographs of that," Leyton said.

The prosecutor also says at some point during the skirmish Liana threw a book at her daughter - that’s where the felonious assault – assault with a dangerous weapon charge comes from.

Investigators say grandma called the cops when she saw what was happening.

The two children are staying with her while this case works its way through the courts. Three of Jared’s children have also been placed with relatives. The Shaws are out on bond.

"We’re going to do everything we can to make sure the young victims are safe number one and that justice is ultimately served," Leyton said.

Chief White says he suspended the officers with pay the morning after he learned of the pending charges.

"They were immediately put on administrative duty," he said. "Once I was notified by the prosecutor of where this was headed, I made a decision to suspend them."

These are just allegations right now, the court process is in the early stages.

Chief White says he’s submitting paperwork to the board of police commissioners for these officers to be put on suspension without pay. White says there will be an internal and administrative investigation.

DPD officers Jared Shaw and Liana Shaw