Officer allegedly didn’t turn in rape kits

CINCINNATI — A Cincinnati police officer, accused of failing to turn in completed rape kits to prosecutors, is expected to plead guilty as soon as next week, according to his criminal defense attorney, Mike Allen.

Officer Christopher Schroder, repeatedly praised by his police supervisors in recent years for his investigative work, is now suspended with pay following an internal CPD investigation.

“These allegations are incredibly disturbing,” wrote Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters in a statement released Wednesday. “We are working closely with our partners in the Cincinnati Police Department to determine the extent to which these allegations have effected investigations.”

“Following the appointment of new leadership at our Criminal Investigations Section in June of 2021 an audit was conducted, and that is how this situation involving Officer Christopher Schroder was brought to light,” said Police Chief Eliot Isaac in a written statement released Wednesday. “As soon as the department uncovered this distressing information, swift action was taken.”

CPD investigators completed a “comprehensive review of all the cases assigned to Officer Schroder since being assigned to the Personal Crimes Squad has been conducted. Any case that requires action has been prioritized and reassigned,” Isaac’s statement said.

The CPD declined to respond to the WCPO 9 I-team’s questions about the case or how the police department was apparently unable to account for missing rape kits until recently.

“We have received all your questions, but this is an on-going criminal investigation,” CPD Spokeswoman

Emily Szink wrote in an email response to our questions.

Schroder’s police personnel records show in 2016 he failed to pick up four rape kits for months at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

On Dec. 21, 2016, Sgt. David Simpson met with Schroder “to discuss the importance of picking up rape kits and processing them in a timely manner,” according to Schroder’s police personnel records.

Schroder’s police powers were suspended in August of 2021 following initial findings of the investigation, according to Isaac’s statement.