Former Greenwood police chief convicted of assaulting ex-wife

GREENWOOD, Mo. — A former Kansas City-area police chief, once hailed for a heroic rescue, has now been convicted of assault.

Former Greenwood, Missouri, police chief Greg Hallgrimson made headlines in 2018 when he and fellow officers helped rescue a 6-month-old baby from an icy pond.

Police said the child’s father tried to drown the girl, walked into the police station and confessed. Officers rushed to the scene to rescued the baby, and she miraculously survived.

But shortly after, Hallgrimson was placed on administrative leave and later resigned, and the FBI and highway patrol began investigating.

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A grand jury indicted him in 2019, accusing him of assaulting that father at the police station after he was arrested. Court documents say the man was handcuffed when Hallgrimson threw him over a chair and beat him.

Hallgrimson pleaded guilty in 2021 but avoided prison when a judge sentenced him to five years probation.

A judge sentenced the Greenwood father who tried to drown his daughter to 15 years in prison.

But while Hallgrimson’s case was playing out, his ex-wife said the former police chief punched her in the face, causing her to lose consciousness.

The incident happened in 2020, but the woman didn’t report the case until 2021.

A jury found Hallgrimson guilty of first-degree assault Tuesday. His sentencing is scheduled for October 2023.

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Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said this case proves delaying disclosure “is not a bar to justice.”

“If someone is a victim of domestic abuse in Clay County, our office will do everything in its power to help them obtain justice,” Thompson said. “This verdict sends a clear message that Clay County will hold the perpetrators of abuse accountable no matter who they are without fear or favor.”

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