A Selma Police Department officer has been reassigned to administrative duties after a woman alleged the officer committed rape first degree. The woman reported the incident occurred in September 2008.

Lt. David Evans, a spokesperson for the department, said reassigning the officer serves both the public and the people involved.

“If he is actually guilty of it, then you’re protecting the public until it’s thoroughly investigated,” Evans said. “But if he’s not guilty, you’re keeping him from running into more potential complaints and problems when people start figuring out who he is.”

Chief William Riley III asked the Alabama Department of Public Safety to conduct a criminal investigation, along with a separate administrative investigation, which is standard internal affairs protocol and policy.

In a press release, Riley said since these are only allegations at this point, the officer’s name would not be released. However, he said police officers “should be the beacons of good behavior in a community, but when they violate the public trust, they must be held accountable.”

Evans said it is not unusual for the police department to handle the situation in this manner during an investigation.

“It’s just standard procedure,” he said.