Pueblo police officer arrested on domestic violence charges

A Pueblo police officer is facing domestic violence charges following an incident earlier in the week.

The police department says Joseph Steffani was arrested by the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office Tuesday after deputies responded to a home in Pueblo West for a family disturbance. He is looking at charges of harassment with domestic violence.

Court documents obtained by 11 News said deputies responded to Steffani and his wife's home on Tuesday after his wife called saying he pushed her.

According to those documents, she was also able to show investigators text messages and recordings of Steffani allegedly admitting to hurting her in the past and reportedly saying he would make up stories to get her in trouble.

His wife told 11 News the harassment has been an on-going problem in their relationship but she was hesitant to report it because of his ties to law enforcement.

She tells us, she wants the case to play out in court but does want to encourage anyone who is a victim of abuse to come forward and report it.

According to the arrest documents, Steffani claimed that he was actually the one who was pushed and that his wife was trying to make him lose his job.

Steffani had been with the Pueblo Police Department for about a year and a half and is currently on paid administrative leave while the incident is investigated.