Birmingham police officer jailed on felony domestic violence/strangulation charge

A Birmingham police officer is behind bars on a felony domestic violence charge.

Officer Justin Bisharat, 28, is charged with domestic violence/strangulation, police officials announced Friday.

The investigation began Thursday when a woman went to headquarters to report an incident that happened involving her long-term "on and off" boyfriend – now identified as Bisharat, said Officer Truman Fitzgerald.

Internal Affairs Division immediately investigated the incident and referred the case to the department's Special Victims Unit.

Detectives interviewed the woman and Bisharat and learned the pair had been involved in a physical altercation in the 2700 Block of 4th Avenue South.

The officer was on duty at the time, Fitzgerald said, but not in a City of Birmingham police vehicle.

Investigators observed visible injuries on the victim.

Bisharat was taken into custody and held in the city jail on a 48-hour hold.

The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office on Friday issued the warrant against Bisharat.

He will be booked into the county jail with bond set at $30,000.

"The Birmingham Police Department acted swiftly upon notification of this incident and conducted a full investigation,'' said Police Chief Scott Thurmond. "The Birmingham Police Department does not condone this type of behavior and will not tolerate it."