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Cleveland officer accused of beating, raping girlfriend on the run after breaking ankle monitor

Posted at 9:59 PM, Oct 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-23 07:20:36-04

A Cleveland police officer charged with rape, kidnapping and felonious assault for allegedly beating and sexually assaulting his girlfriend is on the run after breaking his GPS ankle monitor.

The U.S.  Marshals are currently looking for Tommie Griffin III. An escape warrant has been issued. Anyone who has information on Griffin's whereabouts is asked to call 866-4-WANTED. 

Griffin was arrested in January after his girlfriend said he entered her bedroom, attacked her, sexually assaulted her and fired two shots next to her. She also said he pointed the gun at her and struck her several times on her face with his hands and the gun. She was treated at a hospital for her injuries.

That was just hours after service logs indicate Griffin called Parma police, agitated about another man at his "ex-girlfriend's" house.

RELATED: Cleveland officer accused of beating, sexually assaulting girlfriend personnel files released

Police said they arrested Griffin without incident at a business in North Royalton.

Griffin was hired by Cleveland police on Feb. 1, 1994. His most recent assignment was in District One on basic patrol. He is suspended without pay pending the adjudication of the current criminal case against him.

Griffin's personnel file, obtained by Cleveland-based WEWS in January, showed a history of abduction, assault and abusing sick leave. 

Griffin was caught in 2013 and 2016 misusing sick days. The first time, in 2013, he was issued a three-day suspension after the department found he had used 27 days of sick leave and used 10 days of sick leave in connection with vacation days. 

When Griffin was told by a superior officer to report to the medical unit, he failed to do so on two separate occasions and his behavior was described in the report as "disrespectful and insubordinate." 

His next offense with sick leave was in 2016 when he used 100 hours of sick leave without proper documentation to the medical unit. He also failed to go to the medical unit and went AWOL. The department said he was insubordinate to a superior officer and imposed a six-day suspension as well as placing him on step one of the Sick Leave Abuse Program. 

Griffin was suspended in 2011 for an incident in October 2009 when a female friend of Griffin's accused him of restraining and assaulting her at his home in 2009. He later pleaded guilty to the amended charge of criminal mischief. At that time he was suspended for two 10-hour workdays. 

Griffin's trial was set to begin Oct. 30.