‘This badge is power.’ Durham cop resigns, faces charges after alleged sexual assault
A former officer faces multiple charges after Durham police say he assaulted a community member while on duty.
Rayshawn Taylor, 35, is charged with first-degree kidnapping, sexual servitude and sexual battery, according to a news release. Taylor, whose age was not released, was arrested Monday morning in Mebane, the release stated.
The Durham Police Department received a complaint Aug. 21 alleging Taylor had sexually assaulted a community member during an interaction on duty that day, police said. He was placed on administrative duty that same day and resigned Aug. 22, before the department’s internal investigation ended.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, the decision was made to open a criminal investigation into the incident which was initiated by the Durham Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division,” the release stated.
Investigators also contacted the FBI “due to the nature of the allegations and the fact that Taylor was acting in his official capacity when the alleged incident occurred,” according to the release.
Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry also asked the State Bureau of Investigation to look into the alleged assault, the release said.
In a brief press conference Monday, Capt. Randall Packard said Taylor was hired in January 2014 and was a corporal assigned to uniform patrol in the North Durham area when he resigned.
Taylor previously served as a patrol officer in the community services division and worked in the special victims unit of the criminal investigations division, according to Packard.
Chief Patrice Andrews said any cases involving Taylor in his capacity as an officer will be reviewed by the Durham County District Attorney’s Office.
“We are here as guardians of our community, and this badge is power that the community has bestowed upon us to do all things good and righteous and just,” Andrews said. “And if we can’t do that, then yes, we need to be held accountable.”
“But our community can trust and believe that when officers step outside of those lines, then this department will hold that officer accountable and be transparent along the way,” she continued.
Andrews declined to describe the alleged assault, citing the open investigation and the victim’s privacy.
“We want to make sure that we are also keeping our victim in mind as we speak about this case,” she said.
“It’s important that we are not retraumatizing our victim that has been so brave to come forward,” she said.
Investigators searched Taylor’s home Monday, and the FBI investigation is ongoing, police said. He was booked into the Durham County jail Monday.
Anyone with information in the case or who believes they may have been a victim is asked to contact Cpl. I. Harton with the Special Victims Unit at 919-560-4440 ext. 29332.
This story will be updated as more information is released.
This story was originally published September 30, 2024 at 12:50 PM.
