A Colorado police officer has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on the job.
Curtis Arganbright, a 40-year-old officer with the Westminster Police Department is accused of assaulting the woman in Broomfield while he was on duty, police said in a press release.
Arganbright was arrested Monday, August 28, on charges including sexual assault by force, after an investigation by the Broomfield Police Department.
“The alleged conduct described in this arrest sickens my soul,” Westminster Police Chief Tim Carlson said at a press conference. “That it describes the conduct of an on-duty officer in my department has left me numb.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Accuser Says She Was Sexually Assaulted by an On-Duty Officer & a Woman, but Few Details Have Been Made Public
The accuser went to the Broomfield Police Department on Thursday, August 24, to report that she had been sexually assaulted by an on-duty Westminster Police Department officer and a woman, Broomfield Police said in a press release. The alleged victim is an adult female, police said.
“The incident occurred on Wednesday, August 24th between 1:00 – 2:00 a.m. at a location in the area of W. 144th and Zuni Street, within the City and County of Broomfield,” police said.
On Monday, after an “extensive investigation,” Arganbright was arrested on a warrant charging him with sexual assault by force, sexual assault by position of authority and false imprisonment, police said.
Further details about the case have not been released. It is not known if the woman mentioned in the press release has been arrested.
“The impact on the victim in this case is something I can’t begin to imagine,” Westminster Chief Tim Carlson said. “Tending to her needs and the proper and thorough investigation in this case, and the prosecution of this case, remains a top priority for the Westminster Police Department and the Broomfield Police Department.”
2. Arganbright Has Been an Officer in Westminster Since 2013 & Was Suspended Without Pay After His Arrest
Arganbright was hired by the Westminster Police Department in November 2013 and works as a senior police officer, according to his Linkedin profile. He has worked as a patrol officer during his time with the Westminster Police Department, officials said.
Police Chief Tim Carlson said Arganbright was placed on administrative leave after the allegations were made against him. He was then suspended without pay after his arrest on Monday, Carlson said. The chief told reporters that the department is reviewing Arganbright’s interactions with the public to determine if any other “questionable interactions” occurred.
“This arrest has had a devastating impact on the honest, caring and professional men and women of the Westminster Police Department,” Westminster Police Chief Tim Carlson said at a press conference. “Our police department has been rocked to its core.”
3. He Previously Worked as a Police Officer in Federal Heights, as a Security Officer & in Construction
Arganbright previously worked as a police officer in the city of Federal Heights, Colorado, according to his Linkedin profile. He was with that department from December 2006 until he joined the Westminster police force in November 2013.
Prior to becoming a police officer, Arganbright worked as a security officer for Colorado Security Services Inc. and the Pentagon Protective and Investigative Services Inc. in the greater Denver area from 2005 to 2006, according to his Linkedin profile.
He also previously worked in construction, holding several jobs in the Denver area from 2001 to 2006. He is a graduate of Brighton High School and studied at Kansas Wesleyan University and Adams State University. He completed his POST Certification at the Arapahoe Community College Law Enforcement Academy in 2005. He also completed an undergraduate degree in forensic investigations at Colorado Technical University-Greenwood Village in 2011, and a master’s degree in business administration at the same school.
4. He & Another Officer Were Sued After by a Man Who Was Shot by the Other Officer, but the Case Was Dismissed This Year
Arganbright and another Federal Heights police officer were sued in federal court in 2015 by a man who was shot by the other officer, according to federal court records, which you can read above. Arganbright was with his partner, Sergeant John Hess, when Hess shot Gary Richardson in February 2012, according to the lawsuit. Richardson claimed in the suit that Hess and Arganbright attempted to kill him and then conspired to cover up the attempted murder.
The civil case was dismissed and a federal judge ruled against a motion to reopen it earlier this year. Richardson was charged with attempted murder, but was acquitted of that charge in 2014.
5. Arganbright Is Being Held on $20,000 Bail at the Broomfield Detention Center
Breaking: Mugshot of Officer Curtis Arganbright, Westminster officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on duty.
Arganbright is being held on $20,000 bail at the Broomfield Detention Center, the Broomfield Police said in a press release.
“Formal charges in this case will be filed later this week with the Adams/Broomfield Counties District Attorney’s Office,” the police department said. “There is no additional information that will be released at this time. Any additional statements may be provided by the District Attorney’s Office following the filing of charges later this week.”
The Westminster Police Department said it worked with Broomfield on the investigation.
“In this case the Westminster Police Department has cooperated 100 percent with the Broomfield Police Department in their investigation from the outset,” Chief Tim Carlson said at a press conference. “We will continue with our cooperation with the Broomfield Police Department to see the successful conclusion of this investigation as it moves forward.”
