Macon Child Allegedly Handcuffed, Officer Resigns

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon mother is threatening to sue, after she says a police officer handcuffed her 8-year-old son.

At the NAACP town hall meeting this past weekend a teary-eyed Demetrice Martin stated that Macon Police Officer Justin Fox told her he was “teaching her son a lesson” when he handcuffed the child.

According to Martin, on January 26 Fox stormed into her apartment at Overlook Gardens in search of her son. Martin said Fox told her he was the complex’s courtesy officer and heard her son was throwing pine needles at his dog on the balcony. Martin stated Fox handcuffed her child and then threatened to arrest him for animal cruelty. She claims she begged Fox to take the handcuffs off of her son and he refused.

Shortly after the incident Martin filed a complaint with Macon Police Internal Affairs and hired an attorney. According to police records, Fox resigned on Monday. Records show he was facing termination  for the handcuff allegations.

In an open records request, 41 NBC obtained a copy of Fox’s disciplinary history. According to reports, since Fox joined the force in 2010, there have been 13 complaints filed against him. He was formally disciplined for seven of those complaints. The incidents accuse Fox of excessive force, bad conduct and racial discrimination. He was also disciplined for missing court at least three times.