Veteran NYPD Officer Charged With Strangling Girlfriend In Harlem

An NYPD officer has been suspended after allegedly choking his girlfriend while off-duty in Harlem on Monday night.

Leonard Swanson, 46, was arrested and charged with strangulation and assault for the "domestic incident" early Tuesday morning, according to police.

Swanson has been a police officer since 2002. He made $85,292 last year, plus an additional $33,026 in overtime and other pay. In 2013, he was the subject of an internal police investigation for alleged "failure to make accurate entries" in police reports, according to a search of leaked disciplinary records published by BuzzFeed. Those charges were eventually dismissed.

Detective Jessica McRorie, an NYPD spokesperson, confirmed that Swanson had been suspended without pay following his arrest. She did not have any additional information about the victim's condition.

Studies have shown that incidents of domestic violence are two to four times higher in the law-enforcement community than in the general population. According to the National Center for Women and Policing, "even officers who are found guilty of domestic violence are unlikely to be fired, arrested, or referred for prosecution, raising concern that those who are tasked with enforcing the law cannot effectively police themselves."

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there is help available 24 hours a day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) and the NYC Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-621-HOPE). Victims of domestic violence may receive temporary housing, emergency shelter and supportive services for themselves and their children from the city. More information can be found here.