TAMPA – A Tampa police officer is on administrative leave after being arrested on Friday.

The backstory:

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office charged Steven Barber with domestic battery by strangulation, domestic violence battery and false imprisonment following an off-duty incident on Thanksgiving.

Investigators say the incident involved a woman known to him.

Barber was arrested by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office after being released from a local facility, according to the Tampa Police Department.

What they’re saying:

Domestic violence is a serious crime, and no one is above the law,” said Chief Lee Bercaw. “Our thoughts are with the victim of this incident. The actions alleged in this case do not reflect the values of our department and those who make the choice to take such actions will be held accountable.” 

Dig deeper:

Barber has been employed with Tampa Police since September 2007. He has been on military deployment since March of this year and was due to return to the department next month. 

What’s next:

He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. 

The Source: Information for this story was released by the Tampa Police Department in the form of a press release on Friday night.

TampaCrime and Public Safety