Warren Police Officer Charged with Assaulting Inmate in Jail

A Warren police officer, Matthew James Rodriguez, has been charged with assault and battery and willfully neglecting duty after he punched a man under arrest, slammed his head against the floor and pushed him into a cell. The incident was caught on video. Rodriguez, who has been with the department for over 14 years, is on unpaid leave and has an employment hearing with the police commissioner later this week. The man was being booked on suspected felony carjacking charges. The other two officers were wearing body cameras, but Rodriguez was not, which is a policy violation.