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officer charged with domestic violence; sro terminated from odps

Times & Democrat - 12/13/2018

Dec. 13--An Orangeburg Department of Public Safety officer is no longer on the force after being charged with domestic violence.

Eric Jerrod Boneparte, 43, of Orangeburg, is facing a third-degree domestic violence charge for allegedly punching a woman and further abusing her, according to an Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office incident report. The incident occurred just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Director Mike Adams said he terminated Boneparte immediately "based on the circumstances as they were presented to me."

According to documents provided by the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy on Tuesday, ODPS submitted paperwork stating it terminated Boneparte for alleged misconduct.

The paperwork described the alleged misconduct: "Officer Eric J. Boneparte was arrested for domestic violence by Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department on Saturday, December 8, 2018. Officer Boneparte left the crime scene in an Orangeburg Department of Public Safety patrol car while intoxicated. He was later located at a family member's residence by OCSD command staff and held for Orangeburg County deputies."

Adams said that after the woman called deputies to report the incident, a search got underway for Boneparte.

Adams and a few ODPS officers assisted in the search, which led them to a residence in Norway.

Once Adams and officers discovered that Boneparte was likely at the residence, they immediately contacted the sheriff's office and waited on their arrival, Adams said.

"I talked with Mr. Boneparte at the (Norway) scene," Adams said.

"Based on the circumstances as they were presented to me, I terminated him," he added.

Adams said he's thankful for the professionalism and thoroughness of the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office investigators.

"We expect our officers to conduct themselves in a manner -- whether they are on duty or off duty -- in such a way that they do not bring discredit to themselves, the department or the city," Adams said.

Boneparte worked as a school resource officer. He'd been working at Orangeburg'sDepartment of Public Safety since February of this year.

According to S.C. Department of Criminal Justice records, Boneparte worked as an officer at the Orangeburg County Detention Center from Jan. 12, 1998 until Nov. 15, 1999.

From Nov. 17, 1999 until July 12, 2002, Boneparte worked as an officer at the Santee Police Department.

From July 15, 2002 until Nov. 19, 2007, he worked as a deputy at the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office.

On Dec. 3, 2007, the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy received notification from the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office that the agency terminated Boneparte for "violation of departmental policy and procedures with an investigation pending."

Six months later, the sheriff's office submitted a letter stating that the S.C. Law Enforcement Division cleared Boneparte of all pending allegations.

Boneparte began working for the OCSO again by July 2008. In February 2018, he resigned to work for the ODPS.

Adams said an officer will be replacing Boneparte at the school where he worked.

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Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD.

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