Corrections & Clarifications: A headline was incorrect in a previous version of this article.
Three Phoenix police officers will receive 24-hour unpaid suspensions for their involvement in the violent arrest of Tyron McAlpin, a deaf man with cerebral palsy, according to police.
Interim police Chief Michael Sullivan issued the discipline in response to the assault and repeated shocking of McAlpin in August 2024. Two of the officers were also required to complete additional de-escalation training, police said in a March 25 news release.
The attack on McAlpin drew public outcry and criticism from local leaders after footage of the encounter was released. Sullivan said the department took those concerns seriously and the suspensions reflected its commitment to “accountability and maintaining public trust.”
“At the same time, we stand by the men and women of this department who are placed in difficult situations every day,” he said. “We will continue to support our officers with training and guidance to ensure they can perform their duties safely and effectively. Our goal is to learn from this and move forward together as a stronger department and community.”
Police declined to name the officers who were suspended, saying the information would be available once an administrative investigation was complete. In October, police said officers Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue were placed on administrative leave while the department investigated their involvement in McAlpin’s arrest. A federal lawsuit filed by lawyers for McAlpin in March also accused officer Jorge Acosta of wrongdoing.
On Aug. 19, 2024, officers Harris and Sue responded to a trespassing call at a Circle K near Indian School Road and 12th Street. The white man they were asked to remove from the store told them he was attacked and directed them to McAlpin, who was across the street.
According to police body camera footage, Harris told McAlpin to stop. Within seconds, Harris grabbed McAlpin and the two struggled. Harris used a stun gun on him four times, then both officers collectively punched McAlpin over a dozen times, according to video recordings.
After the beating, Acosta tried justifying the officers’ actions by falsely saying in a report that the white man told police McAlpin had assaulted him and stolen his phone, according to the federal lawsuit.
The encounter left McAlpin jailed for three weeks. He faced aggravated assault and resisting arrest charges that Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell eventually dropped.
The attack on McAlpin occurred two months after the U.S. Department of Justice released a report concluding that the Phoenix Police Department had widespread problems, including routinely using excessive force.
Sullivan was tapped to lead Phoenix police on an interim basis in September 2022 and is a finalist to be the department’s chief. Phoenix police union members have said in recent surveys they were overwhelmingly opposed to Sullivan staying on as the police chief because he was leading the department in the wrong direction and wasn’t supportive in trying times.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix officers get 3-day suspensions over arrest of Tyron McAlpin
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