Hickory fires police officer over arrest injury

A Hickory police sergeant has been fired after a probe into the officer’s behavior during an arrest last year, city officials said.

Sgt. Robert George was fired Jan. 3, according to a news release from Hickory police Chief Tom Adkins. The action stems from an incident Nov. 11 involving George and a suspect who police said was injured while in custody.

City officials said George was suspended with pay on Nov. 12 and an investigation began.

Adkins said state personnel law limits what Hickory officials can say about the case, but he said the decision to fire George was made after an investigation concluded that George “violated the departmental policies governing use of force, treatment of persons in custody, and unsatisfactory performance.”

George had been a member of the Hickory police for more than 15 years.

“I regret that this incident occurred, and I have asked the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation to conduct an outside independent investigation for any criminal wrongdoing in the incident,” Adkins said.

This story was originally published March 19, 2014 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Hickory fires police officer over arrest injury."