SMITHFIELD – A former Selma police officer, who served as a school resource officer at Selma Middle School, has been indicted by a Johnston County Grand Jury in Smithfield. Former officer Dannya Denise Tavarez was indicted Monday on two counts of simple assault.
Officer Tavarez resigned from the Selma police force in April 2024. In June 2024, Johnston County Assistant District Attorney Paul Jackson requested the NC SBI investigate allegations Officer Tavarez assaulted a teacher at Selma Middle School with a taser.
According to a search warrant obtained by the NC SBI, a school teacher reported that Officer Tavarez shocked her with a taser. The teacher reported the offense to the school principal and Selma Police. Police then notified the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office.
According to court documents, the teacher said the assault occurred in October or November 2023 during the school’s first period. This was a planning period for the teacher.
Officer Tavarez was reportedly making her rounds throughout the school when she went into the teacher’s classroom to talk.
The teacher asked Tavarez what the taser was, and Tavarez allegedly responded, “I am going to tase you with it.” The teacher responded by saying, “No, you’re not.”
Taverez then reportedly tased the teacher by sparking the taser and making contact with the teacher’s left hip area, conducting what is called a “drive stun”.
The teacher said she yelled and told the resource officer it hurt. Tavarez replied by saying that she did not do it “full force” and that she had “tased kids around here and they don’t act like that,” according to court documents.
The teacher asked the officer if she had tased any middle school kids and Tavarez allegedly responded, “the ones that I know their parents.” After the incident, Tavarez walked out of the room and the teacher did not disclose the assault until she spoke with another Selma police officer on June 6, 2024.
The teacher told law enforcement the taser had left a bruise but she did not take any photographs of it after the incident.
Taverez was originally hired as a Selma police officer in October 2020.
Responding to the indictment, Selma Mayor Byron McAllister released the following statement Tuesday afternoon to The Johnston County Report: “The Selma Police Department opened up an investigation of former officer Dannya Tavarez in April of this year when concerns were raised about her behavior and work performance. In the midst of the investigation officer Tavarez resigned and our police department handed the investigation over to the SBI. I do not know detailed information about the investigation or indictment, but I commend our Selma Police Department for acting swiftly to address concerns in our community.”
Teacher looking for a lawsuit! Imagine that! Absolutely ridiculous.
Probably another snowflake, liberal educator who would like to “defund” the police.
I mean the teacher waited over a month to report it!
Way more than a month. She said it happened October 2023 but she reported it on June 6th 2024. That is insane and I think the teacher should have resigned for handing out BS. I am unable to see a Police Officer using a stun gun as a toy. I think this is a lie and the poor Police Officer is now the one who is going to suffer.
Sounds funny to me why waite so long to report the incident. Don’t buy this story.
She teacher sounds like Cristine Ford during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing. Not sure, no evidence, waited too long to report, no witness.
She resigned from the Selma PD rather than face an investigation. That tells us all we need to know — innocent people aren’t afraid.
No but they can be disgusted by the lack of faith employers have of their employees and not want to work for them anymore. I know I would. Not to say the p.o. is innocent.
@Thomas: If she were innocent, she’d be fighting to clear her name. The fact that she’s not has nothing to with her work environment — she’s obviously guilty. Again, innocent people fight — the guilty run away.
You fight in court not in the public eye where everything you say can AND WILL be used against you. It’s a basic principle of defense. Again, I’m not saying she’s innocent but you don’t say anything in public.
@Thomas: You’re missing the point. She resigned from the force to avoid an internal investigation. The only reason to do that is if you’re guilty. If you’re innocent, the investigation would show your innocence. The fact that she’s now under indictment shows this.
DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHY SHE RESIGNED? NO!!! SO DO NOT TALK WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!!! INNOCENT UNTO PROVEN GUILTY!! ALSO THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST FULL OF IT!! JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!!!
How does the teacher not know if the assault occurred in October or November? I feel like being the victim of a taser by a police officer is something I would remember thoroughly, especially under such circumstances. This whole story sounds a little fishy to me… the not remembering which month the assault occurred, having no evidence (pictures of the alleged bruising) and waiting months to report it.
The teacher is a mandated reporter and she didn’t report the kids being tased… she was not caring at all about those kids safety if what she says is true.
I know that officer and I feel so sorry for her . She is full of life and brings out the best in anybody. Really hate Jersey going through this. I hate even more that teacher seeking a payout for something she should have been reported when it happened if it was such an issue. Praying for my Jersey she really is a good officer a good person all around just hope she realizes u can’t play with everybody smh
You people do realize what an indictment is correct? It means there was enough evidence or probable cause to establish that a crime had been committed. It was a stupid mistake by the officer no doubt, but if she did it then she deserves to be punished. She assaulted another person. If the teacher is not telling the truth then I hope they charge her with filing a false police report.. All and all it seems that both parties involved shouldn’t be doing the career fields that they chose to be in……
I don’t know that I believe this..how does someone not remember when they allegedly were stunned by a taser? I believe that’s a significant incident that I would at least remember what month it happened, if not the exact day. I’m not sure what the motive is here for the teacher but I call bs.