Ian Cheeseman, 52, of Mulberry Lane, Goring, will appear before Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on November 16, charged with assault.
According to court documents, the alleged assault occurred on April 6 and involved a juvenile who was in police custody at Chichester.
Cheeseman, a Sussex Police sergeant, has been suspended from duty, a spokesman for the force said.
Sussex Police has confirmed that the matter was referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct who directed that a local investigation by the Professional Standards Department should be conducted.