Anne Arundel County police lieutenant suspended over assault allegations

A lieutenant with the Anne Arundel County Police Department was charged with assault. He has been suspended without pay, the police department said.

Lt. Matthew Ploor was charged on Thursday with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment. He has been with the police department for 20 years.

Police said the department's Office of Professional Standards was informed that an officer was involved in an incident that wasn't related to their police duties, which prompted allegations of assault.

Ploor is accused of hitting a teenager in a home, according to charging documents obtained by The Baltimore Banner. Ploor allegedly intervened in a dispute between his girlfriend and her daughter. The daughter is accused of hitting her mother.

Documents said the teenager told police that Ploor grabbed her, pushed her into a vanity, punched her in the chest, and pushed his elbow into her throat.

Ploor reportedly told police that the teen had hit and injured her mother before. He said he went to the teen's room, and the girl stood up and clenched her fist, so he grabbed her arm.

He continued to tell officers he thought the girl was going to punch him, but she missed after he moved his arm, and it landed on her breast line, which caused the teen to fall to the floor. Ploor added that he let go and left the room.

Ploor is set to appear in court on May 15.

He doesn't have an attorney listed and he did not appear to have been arrested or processed as of Thursday, the Banner reports.

Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad called the allegations "concerning."

"We hold our officers accountable to the highest levels of professional standards and conduct," Awad stated. "As this case progresses through the judicial system, we will continue to cooperate with the Office of the State's Attorney. As is standard practice, we will conduct an administrative investigation once this case has been adjudicated."