Officers all over one Middle Tennessee county are in shock after one of their own was accused of drugging a child and sexually abusing another.
That officer was arrested Thursday, taken off the job, and already some of his colleagues are sharing their utter disbelief.
The Ashland City police chief said investigators weren't sure how John Clayton Fields II was going to react to the arrest and they were worried about the safety of officers and others.
Police even put two officers at the local elementary school, just in case Fields showed up and tried to pick up his child.
Investigators arrested Fields without any trouble, but now they are struggling to wrap their minds around everything that's just happened.
"My initial reaction was, 'No, I just can't believe that,'" said Ashland City police Chief Marc Coulon.
Fields was a Cheatham County sheriff's deputy, then an Ashland City police officer, a soldier in the military and, most recently, a reserve officer.
Police officers, deputies, attorneys and even case workers in the Department of Children's Services all worked with Fields, and many call him a friend.
"Known him for years. Nice guy, but you can't commit crimes," said Deputy District Attorney Bob Wilson.
Fields is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old whom he was babysitting. The child said she fell asleep on a couch and woke up in Fields' bed with Fields sexually abusing her.
In a separate case, a 9-year-old said Fields gave her a drug.
Fields told investigators it was Benadryl, but a drug test showed klonopin. If Fields did anything with the second child while she was asleep, the police affidavit doesn't say.
"Well, it's a continuing investigation, and we always worry about an officer who's accused of crime," Wilson said.
During his time as an officer, Chief Marc Coulon said Fields did an excellent job.
"He done good work. I mean, I can't complain about his work in the past," Coulon said.
Now, though, the chief has many concerns, including the reputation of his department, a fair trial for Fields and the possibility of other victims.
"I hope not," Coulon said.
The chief said after Fields returned from serving in Iraq and before he came back on as a reserve officer, Fields passed all of the post-commission requirements, including psychological exams.
He now faces charges of sexual battery by an authority figure and child abuse.
Source: WSMV