AFP reported in May that Virginia State Police was investigating an on-duty misconduct incident involving officers with the Waynesboro Police Department.
The news Monday night is that a special grand jury has handed down indictments to two Waynesboro PD officers for an incident that occurred in April.
Jacob W. Moore, 30, of Stuarts Draft, a corporal in the department, and Joseph M. Meadows, 29, of Churchville, who has the rank of officer, were indicted on Friday, according to a joint press release from the PD and the Waynesboro Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.
Both were charged with one count of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer and one count of disarming a law enforcement officer of a stun gun, both of which are Class 6 felonies.
Both men were arrested on Monday and released on personal recognizance bonds.
Hearings are set for Aug. 12 for both on the charges.
ICYMI
AFP inquired into the matter in May, acting on tips from three readers, the first coming to us on May 1, reporting “conflicting stories.”
“One is that there was a heated argument, and it resulted in a physical altercation and a tase. The other is that it was a hazing incident,” the May 1 tipster told us.
The second tip, dated May 7, alleged that Virginia State Police are investigating “an entire shift of officers at the Waynesboro Police Department for hazing and aggregation assault after they held down a young cop, stripped him, and his supervisor tazed him.”
A third tip came into us on May 17.
“I was seeing if you may have any information on the two officers at WPD that were involved with an altercation. Information out there is that one was assaulted by another, and one was tased. I do know one member is on leave, and it is under VSP investigation. Sounds as criminal charges may be coming for the one officer.”
After addressing this with the PD, we got the barest of confirmations from a spokesperson that something did apparently happen.
“We will acknowledge there is a matter we are addressing,” Capt. Jamie Dunn wrote back in response.
We reached out to the Virginia State Police for comment, waited a whole day to give time for a response, and never, over the course of the past two months, heard back anything.
What we got from Dunn isn’t much, but it’s what we had.
In addition to acknowledging that “there is a matter we are addressing,” Dunn had this to say:
“To share on general inquiries when they may involve personnel matters, following department policy and protections provided under Virginia law, we cannot comment on personnel matters, whether perceived or actual, especially when the facts are often initially uncorroborated and under review,” Dunn wrote to us.
“We are always committed to handling such issues quickly, with the appropriate confidentiality and due process. Should a matter warrant public disclosure, we will communicate through our usual channels, as we are always dedicated and focused on upholding the integrity and professionalism expected of our profession,” Dunn wrote.
The press release announcing the indictments included similar mealy-mouthed language.
“After the criminal matter concludes, the police department will conduct an internal investigation to assess whether involved officers violated department policies. Findings from this investigation will be treated as a personnel issue under Virginia law, allowing for certain disclosure exemptions,” the release said.
“The Waynesboro Police Department remains dedicated to earning and maintaining the public’s trust while fostering positive relationships within our community. We recognize the importance of responsibility in our roles and promote a culture of accountability, ensuring that we do our job right. This culture includes treating others with respect and providing an environment of safety and well-being. We are committed to upholding transparency and integrity in all our activities.”
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Chris Graham
