ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A North County Police Cooperative officer was charged after an investigation revealed he handcuffed a man and allowed his brother to beat the man, charging documents said.
The North County Police Cooperative (NCPC) said Monday that Cpl. James Sims is no longer employed with the agency following an investigation regarding criminal wrongdoing.
He was charged with one count of each first-degree assault, third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault as a result of the investigation.
In November 2022, Cpl. Sims was assigned as a supervisor in Dellwood. He received a call from his brother asking for help because his brother was in a fight in the 6200 block of Dardanella in Pine Lawn.
He was not allowed to leave his assigned zone without permission and other officers could have responded to the area, a probable cause statement said.
When he arrived on the scene, he did not notify dispatch and did not activate his body camera, the statement said. After an unknown amount of time, he called for additional units to the house.
Responding officers found the victim handcuffed with cuts on his face, and had been beaten, the statement said. Cpl. Sims allowed the victim to leave without allowing other officers to interview him.
The investigation found that when Cpl. Sims arrived at the scene he handcuffed the victim, allowed his brother to beat him and did not attempt to stop his brother, the statement said.
In April 2023, Cpl. Sims pulled into a convenience store outside of NCPC jurisdiction. The same victim was riding in a car with two other men at the store.
The victim got out of his car and Cpl. Sims began following and threatening him. He then forced the victim out of the store, slammed him on the hood of a car and knocked him to the ground, the statement said.
Cpl. Sims is not in custody as of Monday evening, a press release said. A cash-only bond was set at $250,000.
The North County Police Cooperative provided a statement following the release:
"The North County Police Cooperative is dedicated to providing professional, transparent and ethically sound police services to eight municipalities in North St. Louis County. We strive to hold all of our police officers and employees accountable for their actions. It saddens us as an organization to make this announcement but can reassure the public we will continue to be steadfast with our CALEA accredited police services and will continue to expect the members of this law enforcement agency will conduct their duties with diligence, transparency, professionalism and within the law."
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell also released a statement regarding the charges:
"While these charges are allegations, I commend the North County Police Cooperative for their diligent investigation into the alleged misdoings of one of their own officers. We have to hold police officers accountable to the law they're sworn to uphold if we want the trust of the public we are all working to protect."