Residents say assault case erodes trust in police
By Associated Press
Aug 23, 2014 1:24 PM CDT
This Aug. 21, 2014 photo made available by the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office shows Daniel K. Holtzclaw. The 27-year-old Oklahoma City police officer was arrested Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014 and is being held in lieu of $5 million bond after being accused of committing a series of sexual assaults against...   (Associated Press)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Residents of a neighborhood where an Oklahoma City officer is accused of sexually assaulting women say the allegations make them distrust police.

Investigators say 27-year-old Daniel Ken Holtzclaw raped one woman and either fondled others or forced them to expose themselves. Police say the women were all black and between the ages of 34 and 58, but it's not clear if race played a role in the alleged crimes.

Resident Tammy Bell said Saturday the officer was "taking advantage of his shield."

Another woman who lives in the racially mixed neighborhood on the northeast side, Seantah Graham, said she was already scared of the police before the allegations came to light.

Graham said police officers have a lot of power and that "it's your word against theirs" whenever something occurs.