CHIPPEWA TWP. — A township police officer resigned from his position amid an investigation that resulted in a harassment charge being filed against him, police said.
According to a police report, former officer Jonathan H. Lutton, 40, was charged Friday with a misdemeanor count of harassment. Chippewa Township Assistant Chief Eric Hermick said Lutton resigned May 25 and turned in his equipment last week.
Police said Lutton began harassing a female co-worked last year. He made comments about the woman’s tattoos and physical appearance, according to the report, and would also “touch her in a manner that made her feel uncomfortable.”
Additionally, police said Lutton would grab the back of the woman’s leg and pull her toward him. He also poked the woman in the torso and massaged her back, police said. On other occasions, Lutton tickled the woman’s sides.
Police said the woman would tell Lutton to stop, which caused him to call her a curse word and continue poking her “in a menacing fashion.”
Lutton is also accused of asking the woman out multiple times. Police said she provided investigators with "inappropriate" text messages he sent to her. Police said the repeated messages consist “of vulgarities and lewd topics." The woman repeatedly told him she only wanted to be friends, police said.
Lutton, of 63 Darlington Road, Patterson Township, was charged Friday by the Beaver County Detectives Bureau.
According to Hermick, he was employed as a part-time officer for six years before being hired full time about a year ago.