Portland officer benched after incident

A Portland police officer has been suspended following an incident Thursday night.

Portland Police Department suspended officer Joshua Clark after a Predator Catchers video on Facebook alleged he messaged, planned to meet and discussed engaging in sexual conduct with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl from Avon.

Clark, 36, messaged a 14-year-old “girl” –– he was actually messaging moderators of the online page used to expose pedophiles –– and they agreed to meet for dinner at an Olive Garden restaurant. He allegedly made sexual comments via text and indicated that he was 17.

About 20 minutes into the Facebook video posted at 7:13 p.m. Thursday, the Predator Catchers team walked up to Clark inside the restaurant and began questioning him.

Allegedly, after being told the girl was a minor, he asked “her” to delete the texts stating she was 14 years old. When confronted in the video, he said he didn’t believe she was that young and believed she was 18.

“I’m an idiot,” Clark repeated several times through the video.

Clark, who started as a Portland officer March 7, was suspended from the department without pay after local police were made aware of the video. Portland Police Department posted to Facebook at 10:05 p.m. Thursday in response to the situation.

“Any crime allegedly committed against a child is appalling; one involving a law enforcement officer is completely unacceptable,” the department post said.

Portland Police Department has started an internal investigation into the matter and is assisting Avon Police Department with its investigation as well.

“That’s the last thing we want to see –– somebody like that in uniform,” said Portland investigator Jeff Hopkins.