CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer was arrested by her own colleagues Tuesday, accused of obtaining prescription painkillers with fraudulent prescriptions. Jennifer Wolfe, 37, is assigned to patrol in Metro Division in West Charlotte.
Her arrest brings the opioid crisis to CMPD's front door.
"It's something that I can't get my grips around, it just shows the power of that drug," said Deputy Chief Johnny Jennings. "It's very sad, disheartening. It shows that even as police officers, the addiction to opioids and the issue that we have, police are not immune to it."
.@CMPD has charged an officer with obtaining prescription drugs by fraud. CMPD Officer Jennifer Wolfe was arrested earlier today.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) August 29, 2017
Jennings said they received a tip from an employee at Danze Dentistry in Matthews back on August 14 that Officer Wolfe was getting the forged prescriptions from the practice.
"As soon as this was brought to our attention as soon as we were made aware of, she was immediately taken off the streets and placed on administrative leave so the investigation can continue," said Jennings.
Jennings says Wolfe had help from Roberta Porter, an employee of Danze Dentistry.
According to the officer manager at Danze Dentistry, Porter has been terminated. She was arrested last week by Matthews Police for her connection this case. Wolfe was arrested Tuesday at CMPD headquarters.
She is facing five counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
Stan Beulieu lives in the area Wolfe patrolled. "It shows that they were being fair and it also showed that she is a regular person with regular problems like everybody else," he said.
Bobby Archie works across the street from Metro Division at Lion's Den hair salon.
"The do not come out of that building," he said.
Archie says this arrest is a small step towards building police-community trust.
"Out of 10 steps, that's 1, you still have another 9 to go," Archie said.
Deputy Chief Jennings says arresting one of their own puts the department in a difficult situation.
"It also opens the door for criticism of our profession," said Jennings. "But at the same time we are resilient in what we do. We bounce back and our officers understand we are held to a higher standard. And if we make a mistake and do something illegal, we are going to be held accountable for it," he declared.
Jennings says Wolfe's cases will be reviewed to determine if there is anything improper. She is on unpaid administrative leave. Wolfe has been with CMPD since 2011.
This case is considered an active investigation