Colorado Springs Police officer still being paid despite felony kidnapping arrest

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- A Colorado Springs police officer is still collecting a paycheck, despite allegations that he threatened to kill a 15-year-old boy.

According to a spokesperson with the police department, Shane Reed is on paid administrative leave until he is formally charged. 

Reed was arrested on a second-degree kidnapping charge, a felony, as well as misdemeanor child abuse, menacing, and harassment.

The four-year veteran with the Stetson Hills Division was arrested on March 18. Reed had a bond advisement hearing in front of a judge Thursday, where he learned he will have the first appearance on his charges on March 30.

Depending on the date Reed started working for CSPD in March of 2018, and according to CSPD's payscale on the department website, Reed earns at least $38.56 per hour. Working a five-day week, at 40 hours per week, Reed will have made at least $2,776.32 while on paid leave.

Court documents released Monday afternoon show that a 15-year-old boy accused Reed of assaulting and threatening to kill him in late January of 2022. It's unclear how Reed knows the child.

According to court documents, the 15-year-old said he was outside his house around dusk when Reed pulled up in his truck, shined his headlights on the child and his friend, and then got out. The teen reported Reed was wearing what he described as a "police belt" with pouches but didn't see a weapon.

In the arrest affidavit, the teen said Reed then grabbed him by the wrist and told him to "walk." The teen said he was scared and tried to resist, but Reed was "stronger than him" so he stopped resisting. He reported that Reed started "dragging him" down to a fence. He said Reed then "pushed him by his upper collar bone against the fence."

Reed declined to comment to KRDO Thursday, saying his attorneys have advised him not to talk.

Dan Corsentino, a law enforcement expert, former police chief, and former Pueblo County Sheriff, says decisions like this can vary case by case, depending on the offense.

"It would make reasonable sense for many chiefs of police and sheriffs to put this person on unpaid leave, and then they would forfeit any salary present or future until the case had a disposition on it," Corsentino said.

Another practice would be to fire an officer and if charges are dropped, the officer can sue for back pay, according to Corsentino.

Corsentino said he is a bit surprised that Interim Police Chief Adrian Vasquez didn't cut ties with Reed, who is still presumed innocent.

"That's clearly a discretionary call of the chief," he said.

According to the CSPD handbook, "An employee may be placed on administrative leave with or without pay at the discretion of the chief, so long as it does not conflict with Civil Service rules."

Interim Police Chief Adrian Vasquez issued the following statement at the time of Reed's arrest:

"The Colorado Springs Police Department values the trust placed in our organization by the community, and we are committed to holding officers accountable who violate that trust. Today, CSPD Detectives arrested Officer Shane Reed for several serious charges to include one felony charge. While Officer Reed has the same presumption of innocence and due process rights as every person arrested, it is important that the Citizens of Colorado Springs know that their officers will be held accountable when their actions warrant it.”