US EditionTyron McAlpin case: Phoenix PD suspends officers, issues de-escalation training
- On Tuesday, Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan announced 24-hour, unpaid suspensions for officers Jorge Acosta, Benjamin Harris, and Kyle Sue, due to their involvement in the August 19, 2024, arrest of Tyron McAlpin, a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy, near Indian School Road and 12th Street.
- The incident stemmed from a 911 call about a disturbance at a Circle K, where McAlpin was later detained, and video footage revealed officers using punches and a Taser on McAlpin, who was then facing felony charges that were later dismissed by the county attorney.
- Chief Sullivan stated the suspensions reflected a commitment to accountability and maintaining public trust, with two officers required to attend de-escalation training, while McAlpin's attorneys filed a claim seeking $3.5 million in damages for excessive force.
- Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean criticized the suspensions as a reversal based on public pressure and biased media reporting, arguing the Force Evaluation and Review Unit had previously deemed the officers' actions within policy, stating, "A situation that was previously reviewed internally by subject matter experts of the Force Evaluation and Review Unit and deemed to be within policy has suddenly been reversed due to public pressure, based on biased media reporting."
- Community activists and advocates, like Caroline Isaacs, criticized the 24-hour suspensions as insufficient, arguing they send a message that vulnerable communities can be victimized without consequence, and that the department needs to address its "toxic culture.
15 Articles
15 Articles
'What a Slap In the Face': Phoenix Cops Suspended for Just 24 Hours After Violently Arresting Deaf Black Man—While Actual White Suspect Walks Free
Seven months after police brutally arrested a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy outside a Phoenix convenience store, three officers have been suspended without pay for 24 hours in what appeared to be a blatant case of racial profiling. The Phoenix Police Department issued a statement Wednesday, saying only that the “Department identified policy violations” following an internal investigation into Tyron McAlpin’s arrest on August 19. Police said…
Public outrage at Hercules police who used Taser on man suffering from epileptic seizure
The city of Hercules held a special meeting on Wednesday to respond to the backlash from the public over a situation where police officers were seen on body camera video using a Taser on a young man suffering an epileptic seizure while he was driving home from his grandmother's home.
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