Cobb County officer charged with sexual assault, resigns from department

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County police officer has been charged with sexual assault.

On Monday, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office arrested Andres Alcaraz.

Alcaraz is accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on duty in May. The department says it was notified last week and as soon as the officer was identified, he was placed on administrative leave. On Sunday, Alcaraz resigned from the department.

Channel 2's Chris Jose learned that Alcaraz had been with the department for four years and was recently assigned to the DUI task force.

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Jose sat down with Cobb County Police Chief Tim Cox on Tuesday to talk about the arrest.

Cox said just after midnight on May 17, Alcaraz stopped and questioned a woman on Benson Poole Road. The chief described it as a "suspicious person encounter."

Investigators say Alcaraz put the woman in the back seat of his patrol car, drove the woman behind a building on South Cobb Drive and sexually assaulted her.

"I, as the chief of police, am appalled by this person's actions," Cox said. "Please understand the actions of this one person does not represent what this police department stands for."

Cox says the woman reported the assault to Smyrna police in May but then would not meet with investigators and eventually disappeared until she resurfaced last Sunday.

Cobb police immediately launched a criminal and internal investigation and say they found evidence of a sexual assault.

Alcaraz's neighbors were stunned.

"Totally shocked. One of the nicest guys I know. A great neighbor," Sandy Baubie said.

Alcaraz is in the Cobb County jail.

Cox Media Group