A DeKalb County police officer was arrested Wednesday and charged with child molestation, police said.

Manuel Williams, 49, admitted to the charges and offered his resignation.

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander said on Wednesday that Williams is accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old girl at his home in September 2012.

The girl did not report the incident to her father until recently, Alexander told reporters.

“The father of the 13-year-old victim reported it to police on Oct. 12,” he said. “It’s very disheartening for all of us here at DeKalb Police.”

Williams was with the department for 18 years and most recently worked out of the south precinct, police said.

“Records indicate that he’s always carried himself as a stellar officer,” Alexander said. “This comes as a surprise for us. But we’re going to do what is right by the public and by the police department.”

He is being held at the DeKalb County jail.

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