Leath McClure, a deputy chief with the Lubbock Police Department, is facing three felony charges after being arrested on Thursday. The charges include two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, and one count of continuous violence against the family, a third-degree felony, Interim Police Chief Greg Rushin announced during a press conference.
The arrest warrant indicates the family violence offense happened on Dec. 1, 2022 and the aggravated assault offenses happened on Feb. 15 and March 8.
A police report shows McClure allegedly used his "hands, feet and fists" to assault a civilian LPD employee with whom he was in a romantic relationship. The 32-year-old woman told her supervisor that McClure became angry and pushed her into a wall and doorway at police headquarters before slapping her in the face in early October, prompting the Metro investigation.
McClure, who oversees the East Patrol Division, was booked in Lubbock County Detention Center shortly before the conference began. His bond has been set at $500,000, KCBD reported.
Rushin said McClure has been with the department since 2005 and took on his current role just a few months ago. He has since been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
While speaking to reporters, Rushin voiced his disappointment with McClure's arrest and clarified that the allegations against him aren't reflective of the entire department.
"I've seen this in different departments, including my department in Plano. It’s a really sad day when a law enforcement officer gets arrested, and that’s not very often though," Rushin said in the news conference. "Never forget about all the officers out there every day that are serving honorably. We're still the same department. When something like this happens, it's a sad day, but it does happen."
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon carries a potential prison sentence of two to 20 years, and continuous violence against the family carries a penalty of up to 10 years, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported.
The arrest came after a Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit investigation that began on Oct. 4.
Lt. Mark Wall, commander of the Special Crimes Unit, told reporters that the unit is separate from the Police Department and Lubbock County Sheriff's Office and handles various cases, including those involving criminal charges against police officers.
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