Suspended Fort Worth officer will return to work soon

A Fort Worth police officer who was suspended for a controversial arrest will be back on the streets soon and that has some people unhappy.

Last month Jacqueline Craig called police to report that her neighbor had choked her 7-year-old son. But after being confronted by the responding officer, she and her two daughters were the ones who were arrested.

Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald gave Officer Martin a 10-day suspension for the way he handled the call. He is anxious to return to patrol to mend relationships with the community, the chief said.

Craig, her daughters, her attorney and several other community activists went to Tuesday’s city council meeting to ask city leaders to take more action against Officer Martin.

“Jacqueline Craig gave so much confidence. As we look at the 26 minute video, she gave so much confidence in your fine police department just to be failed,” said Dominique Alexander with the Next Generation Action Network.

 “That officer should have been fired under any common sense analysis of what happened that day,” said Lee Merritt, Craig’s attorney.

“The city of Fort Worth spent a lot of time and money to see that he was properly trained. With officers like him, who wants to call police? I don’t,” added a resident.

Martin is expected to be back on the job in the next few days. Personnel records released to the Associated Press show he has had eight commendations during his 10 years on the streets.