Ohio – Colerain Police Chief Mark Denney is recommending a township police officer facing sex charges in Butler County be fired.

According to a police report obtained by The Enquirer from the Monroe Police Department, Snapchat messages to a 13-year-old girl led to sex charges for Colerain Township police officer Robert Brinkman.

The report said the teen’s mother called police to her Butler County home July 6 because of text messages her daughter received.

Brinkman, 31, is free on his own recognizance with electronic monitoring. He was indicted by a Butler County grand jury.

He pleaded not guilty to importuning – soliciting a minor for sex – and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in front of Butler County Court of Common Pleas Judge J. Gregory Howard July 13 and is set to return to court Aug. 1.

According to the officer’s personnel file, he was suspended with pay on July 6, the date of the alleged incident. His suspension required that he turn in all department-issued equipment and keys. When a Butler County grand jury indicted him July 13, he was suspended without pay.

Brinkman was the handler for Tao, a German shepherd that joined the department’s K-9 unit last year. Denney said another officer is caring for the dog.

Denney said Brinkman waived a pre-disciplinary hearing set by the Colerain Police Department for July 19.

The chief said Brinkman has violated Colerain Police Department rules and regulations, as well as the Colerain Police Department Code of Ethics. He is recommending termination to the Colerain Township Board of Trustees.

If the board approves the recommendation, termination would be effective immediately.

The Colerain Township Board of Trustees meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, in trustee chambers at the Colerain Township Government Complex, 4200 Springdale Road,

Source: https://eu.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/colerain/2018/07/23/colerain-police-chief-trustees-should-fire-officer-charged-sex-crime/818178002/