A northeast Iowa police officer is charged with misconduct in office. Floyd County Attorney Normand Klemesrud filed a criminal complaint against Charles City Police Officer Todd Smith in Floyd County District Court, claiming he failed to perform his duties when he had reason to believe a sexual assault occurred and charged him with non-felonious misconduct in office which is a serious misdemeanor.

The complaint says Smith was on duty on July 14th of this year when he responded to a report of forced rape. The victim told Smith the rape took place a couple of hours earlier, described her injuries and showed Smith the bruises.

Smith allegedly expressed doubt that those injuries were caused recently and told the victim that “if there was sex, it was her fault because she had been drinking” and that discouraged her from making any further report. According to the report, Smith “actively interfered with his own duty to investigate the allegations.”

Smith is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and has been with the Charles City Police Department since 1989.

On Tuesday afternoon, Todd Smith claimed his innocence: “I plead not guilty because I am not guilty of failing to perform my duties. I was the investigating officer of the report of a crime on July 14, 2012. Because of the personal nature of the alleged crime, I’m prohibited by department policy from disclosing the details of the investigation, except only in open court. I am willing to disclose my investigation in open court and exonerate me from these false charges.”

By Chris Berg, KCHA, Charles City