Video shows former Charlotte officer stealing cash from person in custody, chief says

CHARLOTTE — A former Charlotte police officer was caught on camera stealing hundreds of dollars from a man he arrested, video released to Channel 9 on Monday shows.

Channel 9 obtained the video on Monday after a judge ordered its release in connection with an incident that happened on March 14.

We previously reported when Henry Chapman, an officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at the time, was arrested for embezzlement. Court documents say Chapman arrested a man for an outstanding warrant, but during the search of the suspect, Chapman took $900 in cash.

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CMPD released about 20 different video clips, but two videos show the bulk of the man’s claim. One video is from Chapman’s body-worn camera, and it shows the man being taken into custody.

The video:

CMPD included video from an officer on a motorcycle who says he pulled the man over for speeding.

The man is then taken into custody for an outstanding U.S. Marshals warrant for a weapons violation. The police officer on the motorcycle searched the man and found two bundles of cash, one of which was in a rubber band.

Chapman arrives in a patrol car and places the man in the back. The motorcycle officer places all of the items from the man’s pockets in the front of the patrol car, next to Chapman’s driver seat.

Chapman’s body-worn camera video shows his perspective as he drives the man to a police building. His camera stops recording at about 5:10 p.m. when the car parks. No other body-worn camera from Chapman’s perspective was provided after that recording stopped.

Another video from Chapman’s sergeant shows the man’s accusation against Chapman.

“Can you just check in between his legs? He’s moving and everything, look, he’s moving,” the man tells the sergeant.

“Sir, listen to me, tell me how much cash you had on you, what was the amount?” an officer replies.

“I just want to see, I’m not going to lie, can you check? I’m not going nowhere, can you check your fellow officer for me please?” the man says.

An officer goes to the window of Chapman’s patrol car, and Chapman says, “We’re good, we’re good.”

The man continues watching Chapman while another officer asks how much should be there. The man says there was about a thousand dollars.

“Look at him moving, he’s moving, y’all not going to check him?” the man asked the other officers.

Finally, the man convinced the other officers to check Chapman’s patrol car. They found what the man said was missing, around $1,000 tucked into a lower compartment on the inside of the door.

“Look, no cap, I’m not even going to touch it, there’s blue hundreds right here, it’s all blue hundreds right there, behind that receipt,” the man said. “Thank you, All that is my money, he didn’t have that.”

“This is your money?” another officer said.

“Yes, I heard him crumple it up,” the man responded. “Thank you, thank you, all that’s being recorded, right?”

Additional videos show Chapman inside the University City Division building, and he apologizes to two other officers in the room as his police-issued firearm is taken.

The aftermath:

Chapman was arrested within six hours of that incident, and charged with embezzlement. He resigned from CMPD the next day, after 15 years on the force.

The department says that in addition to the criminal charge, Chapman sustained two violations for body-worn camera and conformance to laws.

On Monday, CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings wrote a statement admonishing Chapman’s actions.

Jennings wrote, in part: “The video shows a CMPD police officer committing a crime, stealing money from a person who was in his custody. Adherence to the law is an absolute for police officers. The actions of former Officer Chapman were a contradiction to what we stand for.

I want you to know the detectives and leadership acted quickly when this incident was brought to light. Both a criminal investigation and an internal investigation were launched immediately. Chapman was arrested less than six hours after the incident following a continuous investigation and was placed on immediate unpaid administrative leave. I commend those who took those allegations serious enough to fully investigate this case which led to the arrest of one of our own.

This incident does not represent or define the men and women of CMPD who show up every day and night to serve our community. While one officer did violate his oath, thousands more are still here and stand strong on the oath they took. I commend them for their commitment to this department and to this city. I am proud to serve with them. And we are all proud to serve you.”

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