Original Article Chicago officers charged with shoplifting suspects' battery Thursday, August 18, 2005; Posted: 2:56 p.m. EDT (18:56 GMT) (AP) -- Two Chicago police officers have been charged with battery and official misconduct for allegedly roughing up two shoplifting suspects, the police superintendent said Wednesday. One officer is accused of punching a suspect, and the other of yanking a 14-year-old girl's ponytail during questioning. Their actions allegedly were caught on store surveillance cameras, Police Superintendent Philip Cline said. "Based on what I saw, the offender posed no immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others in the room," Cline said, calling the officers' behavior "unacceptable." Larry Guy and Alexandra Martinez, both 11-year veterans of the department, were charged Tuesday. Guy also was charged with attempting to obstruct justice. Martinez allegedly slapped and pulled the ponytail of the teenage girl suspected of shoplifting at a J.C. Penney store in April. Guy allegedly punched and shoved a 21-year-old man suspected of shoplifting at a Target store in June. The officers could not be reached for comment. Neither shoplifting suspect filed a formal complaint, officials said. Instead, in both cases, store officials turned the tapes over to police supervisors at district stations. The department did not publicly release the tapes. The misconduct charge is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, and the other charges are misdemeanors, each punishable by up to a year in prison. Cline has also started proceedings to fire the two officers. "Wearing a police badge gives an officer tremendous power and tremendous responsibility," Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine said. "Twice in recent months, two Chicago police officers have abused that power and shirked their responsibility." Two other officers who witnessed the incidents but did not report them have been removed from street duty, officials said. Police rules require officers who witness misconduct to report it to supervisors. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.