Pennsylvania Police Inspector Charged For Alleged Sexual Assault Of Multiple Female Officers

A Philadelphia police inspector is facing accusations of sexually assaulting three fellow officers during his time as an instructor at the police training academy.

Chief Inspector Carl Holmes, 54, was arrested Thursday after a grand jury indicted him in the alleged assaults, which date as far back as 2004.

Holmes joined the Police Department in 1990 and served for a time as a senior officer at the police training academy. He allegedly used this position to portray himself as a “mentor” to young female trainees as a means to get close them.

“Based on the little that I know that the complainants were Philly police officers, it's just sickening that any woman or any officer would ever be subjected to something happening to them that should never happen whether in the workplace or in society,” acting Police Commissioner Christine Coulter told a press conference.

The women said they were discouraged from reporting Holmes to superior officers. Two of the officers said they were subjected to an investigation by internal affairs after reporting Holmes alleged sexual assaults while they were still junior officers.

The third said she was encouraged by Holmes to join a task force he was going to oversee. Shortly after, he allegedly kissed, groped and digitally violated her, a statement said.

“He will no longer be a member of our department and then the legal process will play out,” Coulter said.

Holmes is facing multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault without consent, forcible compulsion, criminal attempt of sexual assault, and criminal attempt at forcible compulsion.