NC high school school resource officer charged with raping adopted daughter

A high school resource officer in North Carolina was charged with week with sexually assaulting his adopted daughter.

The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office said that the girl, now 18, alerted authorities on Feb. 11 that her adopted father, 46-year-old Concord Police Officer Douglas Buckwell, had raped her and committed other sexual offenses, many of which reportedly took place before she was 16-years-old. The offenses allegedly occurred between August 2009 and January 2016.

After investigators turned over evidence to the District Attorney's office, Buckwell was charged on Wednesday with first-degree statutory rape, statutory rape, first-degree statutory sex offense, statutory sex offense, indecent liberties with a child, sex act by a substitute parent or custodian and three counts misdemeanor child abuse.

He is being held in the Cabarrus County Detention Center in lieu of $1,000,000 bond.

Since 2000, Buckwell has worked as a school resources officer. He currently is assigned to Central Cabarrus High School, where he has worked since 2002. Following the charges on Wednesday, Buckwell was placed on administrative leave without pay.

Concord Police Chief Gary J. Gacek expressed disappointment in a statement on Wednesday.

"It’s an understatement to say that today’s events are disappointing to myself and to the men and woman of the Concord Police Department who work tirelessly on behalf of the residents, visitors, and businesses of Concord," Gacek said. "Although Officer Buckwell will surely have his day in court, the criminal allegations are horrific and indeed go counter to everything a law enforcement officer must stand for as a guardian of their community – and their family. Our badge of office has been tarnished today."

Deputies said that there was no evidence indicating that Buckwell had committed crimes while on duty at Central Cabarrus High School, but the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the case was encouraged to contact Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Division at 704-920-3057.