Des Moines police officer resigns following misconduct allegations, investigation ongoing
Des Moines police officer Rodney Alan Briggs resigned Wednesday amid investigations into alleged misconduct, said department spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek.
His resignation came amid an investigation of a complaint alleging conduct unbecoming, Parizek said. This complaint is entirely different from a previous investigation into Briggs' misconduct related to a criminal complaint filed in February 2021, Parizek clarified.
Briggs, 43, previously faced a charge of nonfelonious misconduct in office, a misdemeanor, which was dismissed in May 2021.
A criminal complaint filed in the case alleged Briggs attempted in February 2021 to persuade employees at the Southeast Polk Community School District to provide him with video evidence related to an ongoing Altoona Police Department investigation that involved his girlfriend.
The complaint alleged Briggs tried to use his officer identification card to obtain the records. The complaint went on to say that Briggs was pursuing his own investigation under peace officer status in another jurisdiction.
The court dismissed the case, citing evidence from depositions to claim Briggs did not use his authority as a police officer to make the request for public records, though he did mention his position when making the requests.
Briggs was placed on paid administrative leave after he was arrested in February, and the Des Moines Police Department's Office of Professional Standards initiated an investigation into his conduct.
He returned to active duty in May, soon after the charges against him were dismissed, according to ABC affiliate WOI-DT.
Parizek said the investigation into Briggs' misconduct is ongoing despite his resignation.
Briggs was hired by the Des Moines Police Department January 2017, Parizek said.
Briggs' partner was accused of defacing school property with anti-face mask messages
Briggs' partner was accused of defacing school property with anti-face mask messages. Records from the Altoona Police Department obtained by the Des Moines Register show that Briggs was arrested in February 2021 at the home of his apparent girlfriend, Tiffany Anderson.
Court records show that Anderson, who then served as a senior officer with the Des Moines Police Department, was being investigated for allegedly vandalizing Willowbrook Elementary School property with anti-face mask messages.
Court documents say video surveillance from last November allegedly shows Anderson's truck moving through the parking lot at Willowbrook Elementary and stopping at various safety cones that were later found to be vandalized with the phrases “Masks = Child Abuse, SEP school district will be held accountable!” and similar messages.
After being interviewed by Altoona police in January 2021, court documents allege that Anderson admitted to being in the parking lot at Willowbrook Elementary but denied committing vandalism.
Those same court records state that the day after Altoona police questioned Anderson, she messaged an Altoona police sergeant to say, "If your department decides to wrongfully charge me for a crime that I was not involved in, there are going to be serious consequences."
Altoona police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday on the status of the investigation into Anderson's alleged conduct. Parizek confirmed Anderson is still employed by the department.
Editor's Note: This article was updated with clarification from the Des Moines Police Department that its investigation is unrelated to a previous criminal complaint.
Register reporters Philip Joens and Melody Mercado contributed reporting.
Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines police officer resigns amid investigation into misconduct
