Las Vegas officer apprehended after alleged misconduct with woman during vehicle call

A Las Vegas police officer has been arrested and charged after engaging improperly with a woman while responding to a complaint, according to authorities.

According to the arrest record, Officer Manuel Ramangmou of Metro’s Southeast Area Command was dispatched to an area near Sunset Road and Pecos Road on May 9 in response to a suspicious vehicle report.

According to police, security alerted LVMPD after noticing a car parked on private property overnight. It was then revealed that a woman, April Woolum, was supposedly sleeping in her white van in the business parking lot.

According to the report, Officer Ramangmou approached the van, identified himself, and requested Woolum’s identifying information. Police claim he also informed her she couldn’t stay on the property and told her to leave.

However, body camera footage showed that the original conversation lasted many minutes before ending, according to authorities.

According to the investigation, after turning off the body camera, Officer Ramangmou began acting inappropriately. He allegedly complemented Woolum’s appearance, asked if he might text her later, hugged her, and led her behind bushes away from surveillance cameras.

Woolum informed police that Officer Ramangmou hugged her, caressed her buttocks and lower back, drew her close, and requested a kiss.

Woolum told police she complied because she felt frightened and afraid, and she believed she couldn’t refuse a police officer during a stop.

The report also states that CCTV footage from the business partially confirmed movement behind bushes and continued conversation after the formal stop appeared to be over.

According to police, Officer Ramangmou’s phone sent text messages to Woolum following the incident, including “Hey April, it’s Manny,” “Sorry if I scared you lol,” and “Hey, how are you?”

Officer Ramangmou has been charged with oppression under the color of office. He is expected back in court on June 18th.

Woolum has also filed a federal civil complaint against Officer Ramangmou and the LVMPD. The complaint seeks over $75,000 in damages, punitive damages, attorney’s costs, a protective order against the officer, and court-ordered LVMPD improvements, such as retraining and policy changes.