High School Police Officer Accused Of Ongoing Inappropriate Behavior With Students May Evade Prison Time

Deputy Jamel Bradley has five complaints of sexual misconduct in nine years at Spring Valley High School

A high school police officer who works at a South Carolina school has been the subject of several complaints about alleged inappropriate contact with teenage girls. Those issues came from school staff members, yet that person is still on the job despite authorities knowing about the purported behavior.

According to The Washington Post, that high school officer is 38-year-old Deputy Jamel Bradley. Five complaints have been lodged against him at Spring Valley High School in nine years. Although other officers, parents, a school administrator, and a coach have reported the alleged misbehavior, Bradley has not been removed from his position at the school; although he was reassigned temporarily, he returned to Spring Valley.

The sheriff’s department would not arrest Bradley, in part because of his past as a former star basketball player at the University of South Carolina. He was seen as a role model in the community.

The school was under scrutiny due to a video showing another officer forcibly arresting a Black student, which placed the school under the watchful eyes of the Justice Department. Yet, even with that issue, officials in Richland County did not investigate the complaints against Bradley.

A student who made a complaint against Bradley was told by officials that nothing could be done about Bradley facing the music of his alleged acts. She was told that the department had “prematurely” closed the investigation.

It was revealed that Bradley is now facing sex crime charges, not for the previous accusations, but for allegedly abusing two other female students. He is facing maximum prison time of 15 years in prison as well as being required to register as a sex offender. Yet, it has also been revealed that Bradley may not receive any prison time as prosecutors have offered Bradley a deal. If he pleads guilty, they will recommend only probation and no requirement to sign as a sex offender. The proposed deal is slated to be presented to a judge.