An Ohio cop sobbed on the stand as she defended allowing a teenage boy in her custody to be whipped by an adult.
Middletown Police Officer Jamie Patterson was found guilty of two counts of dereliction of duty after a day-long bench trial on Thursday, WXIX reported.
Prosecutors said Patterson allowed a handcuffed 15-year-old boy to be whipped by his ex-step-grandfather with a belt in January.
She had responded to the teen’s house when his grandmother called 911 and asked that he be arrested after a fight over electronics led to a physical altercation, the Journal-News reported.
Patterson cried as she testified in her own defense, insisting she believed she was helping the boy, who had not been named due to his age.
‘Everyone around him was failing him, including the legal system, his probation officer and his parents, so the only thing in my heart was to recommend corporal punishment,’ she said.
‘There’s a few seconds window where I thought if I was there, I could be able to have corporal punishment done correctly lawfully, and that is why I let him do it in my presence.’
Patterson continued: ‘I acted in good faith. I had a good heart going into it. I believed that I was helping him.’
Middletown Police Officer Jamie Patterson defended allowing an adult to whip a teenage boy while he was in her custody
Prosecutors said Patterson allowed a handcuffed 15-year-old boy to be whipped by his ex-step-grandfather with a belt in January
Corporal punishment is defined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as ‘any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light.’
It mostly involves hitting children with a hand or implement, such as a belt or a wooden spoon, and can be considered cruel and degrading because it can cause physical and mental harm, according to the World Health Organization.
Patterson had been called to the house twice in two days regarding the teen and suggested the family use corporal punishment to discipline him.
On January 2, the boy’s grandmother called police about him having a knife and threatening his biological father.
The grandmother testified that Patterson told her to call his parole officer and advised her to administer ‘corporal punishment.’
She called 911 the next day because the teen had got into an argument with his brother, and when she tried to take his iPad away, he kicked her and broke several devices.
When Patterson arrived at the house, she was heard on body camera footage saying: ‘[This is the second day] I’ve been here because of you. Stand up, turn around. Think you’re a big boy, huh?’
Patterson then asked: ‘What happened to corporal punishment, Grandma?’
Patterson cried as she testified in her own defense, insisting she believed she was helping the boy, who had not been named due to his age
Patterson joined the Middletown Police Department in 2021. She was featured the department’s social media for competing at the 2025 BHM World Police and Fire Games CrossFit competition
The grandmother said she called her ex-husband and asked him to bring a belt. He identified himself as ‘Grandpa’ on the body camera video.
The footage then partially showed the man whipping the boy with the belt. It was a partial view because Patterson turned her body away and muted her camera.
Patterson was heard telling the man after the whipping: ‘Grandpa, I respect you. Old school, I like it.’
Once the teen was inside the police vehicle, Patterson told him: ‘He’s just doing this to set you straight. They are allowed to issue corporal punishment and what your grandpa did is corporal punishment.’
The boy, who is now 16, was charged with domestic violence and unruly behavior for the incident. He had visible marks from being whipped, but was not treated for injuries, prosecutors noted.
Prosecutors argued that Patterson was derelict of duty because the man who whipped the boy was the grandmother’s ex-husband, and Ohio law only permits corporal punishment by parents or legal guardians.
She faces a sentence of up to 90 days in jail and a maximum $750 fine for each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 25.
The Middletown Police Department told the local news outlet Patterson is still on unpaid leave as of Thursday, and her employment status will be determined through discussions with attorneys and the police union.
According to the Middletown Division of Police Facebook page, Patterson joined the department in 2021.
She was featured on the page again in July 2025 for competing at the 2025 BHM World Police and Fire Games CrossFit competition.
The Daily Mail contacted the Middletown Police Department and Patterson’s attorney for comment.
