Bend Over And Spread 'em Katie Hobbs
2024-06-14 12:12:50 UTC
Phoenix police engaged in a pattern of misconduct that violated the civil
rights of the city's residents, including unjustified deadly force, the US
justice department has said.
In a scathing report, the federal agency detailed cases of excessive force
and discrimination against black, Hispanic and Native American residents.
Officers also unlawfully detained, ticketed and arrested homeless people,
according to the allegations.
But a top police union official called the investigation "illogical".
The Phoenix Police Department, meanwhile, said they were analysing the
report.
They said they were committed to "continuous improvement by enhancing
policy, accountability and training" in the nation's fifth-largest city.
Thursday's justice department findings are a culmination of a nearly three-
year investigation by the agency into abuse allegations dating from 2016.
"This behaviour includes improper use of Tasers, projectiles, leg
restraints, police dogs and even deadly force, including guns and neck
restraints and compression restraints," said Assistant Attorney General
Kristen Clarke.
"Officers also routinely delay medical aid and employ excessive force on
wounded people."
The findings "reveal evidence showing long-standing dysfunction" that
"reflect a lack of effective supervision, training and accountability", she
said.
The report contains a number of allegations:
Officers noticed a man throwing rocks at their vehicle as they passed. They
drove back and approached him with guns drawn. When he went to throw a rock
at them, they shot him four times and killed him.
Officers opened fire on a woman, who appeared suicidal and had pulled a gun,
shooting her 10 times. They waited "more than nine minutes" to attend to her
despite her being "immobile on the ground". She later died.
Officers shot a man, then fired multiple rounds at him with a "less-lethal
projectile launcher", and sent a police dog to drag him to them. They did
not render aid for more than nine minutes.
After shooting an armed man, officers continued to shoot him with stunbag
rounds despite him not trying to get up or retrieve his weapon. A supervisor
said there was "no rush" to provide CPR. His heart had stopped when they
approached him 15 minutes later and he was pronounced dead.
A suicidal man sitting alone in a car park was approached by officers who
pulled him from his car and pushed him to the pavement. One of the officers
knelt on the back of his neck, while others held him down. One officer fired
a Taser at the man.
A local officers' union, the Phoenix Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 2, said
the report was misleading.
Lou Manganiello, president of the association, said the findings were "full
of half-truths, unsubstantiated accusations, and haphazard, illogical
conclusions".
The justice department report also found Phoenix police unlawfully detained,
cited and arrested homeless people and unlawfully disposed of their
belongings.
Between 2016-22, 37% of Phoenix police arrests were homeless people, the
report found.
The justice department also accused Phoenix police of firing their guns at
people who did not pose an immediate threat as well as putting themselves in
situations of "tactical disadvantage" that substantially increased the
likelihood they would fire their weapons.
Phoenix police told officers to be "proactive" with projectiles and took the
weapons away from officers who did not use them enough, the report found.
So far this year, there have been eight fatal police shootings by Phoenix
police - all of which have involved people who were armed, the police
department told the Arizona Republic.
Ms Clarke said on Tuesday that the justice department will work with Phoenix
officials to find a "mutually acceptable" path forward.
âWe are taking all allegations seriously and are planning to review this
lengthy report with an open mind," said city manager Jeff Barton in a
statement.
The justice department has launched 11 investigations into law enforcement
agencies around the country since 2021.
That includes Louisville, Kentucky, where police shot and killed Breonna
Taylor, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, where George Floyd was killed while
being detained by police.
In both of those investigations, the justice department found wrongdoing on
the part of the respective police departments, including civil rights
violations and use of excessive force.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8vvl675nm0o
rights of the city's residents, including unjustified deadly force, the US
justice department has said.
In a scathing report, the federal agency detailed cases of excessive force
and discrimination against black, Hispanic and Native American residents.
Officers also unlawfully detained, ticketed and arrested homeless people,
according to the allegations.
But a top police union official called the investigation "illogical".
The Phoenix Police Department, meanwhile, said they were analysing the
report.
They said they were committed to "continuous improvement by enhancing
policy, accountability and training" in the nation's fifth-largest city.
Thursday's justice department findings are a culmination of a nearly three-
year investigation by the agency into abuse allegations dating from 2016.
"This behaviour includes improper use of Tasers, projectiles, leg
restraints, police dogs and even deadly force, including guns and neck
restraints and compression restraints," said Assistant Attorney General
Kristen Clarke.
"Officers also routinely delay medical aid and employ excessive force on
wounded people."
The findings "reveal evidence showing long-standing dysfunction" that
"reflect a lack of effective supervision, training and accountability", she
said.
The report contains a number of allegations:
Officers noticed a man throwing rocks at their vehicle as they passed. They
drove back and approached him with guns drawn. When he went to throw a rock
at them, they shot him four times and killed him.
Officers opened fire on a woman, who appeared suicidal and had pulled a gun,
shooting her 10 times. They waited "more than nine minutes" to attend to her
despite her being "immobile on the ground". She later died.
Officers shot a man, then fired multiple rounds at him with a "less-lethal
projectile launcher", and sent a police dog to drag him to them. They did
not render aid for more than nine minutes.
After shooting an armed man, officers continued to shoot him with stunbag
rounds despite him not trying to get up or retrieve his weapon. A supervisor
said there was "no rush" to provide CPR. His heart had stopped when they
approached him 15 minutes later and he was pronounced dead.
A suicidal man sitting alone in a car park was approached by officers who
pulled him from his car and pushed him to the pavement. One of the officers
knelt on the back of his neck, while others held him down. One officer fired
a Taser at the man.
A local officers' union, the Phoenix Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 2, said
the report was misleading.
Lou Manganiello, president of the association, said the findings were "full
of half-truths, unsubstantiated accusations, and haphazard, illogical
conclusions".
The justice department report also found Phoenix police unlawfully detained,
cited and arrested homeless people and unlawfully disposed of their
belongings.
Between 2016-22, 37% of Phoenix police arrests were homeless people, the
report found.
The justice department also accused Phoenix police of firing their guns at
people who did not pose an immediate threat as well as putting themselves in
situations of "tactical disadvantage" that substantially increased the
likelihood they would fire their weapons.
Phoenix police told officers to be "proactive" with projectiles and took the
weapons away from officers who did not use them enough, the report found.
So far this year, there have been eight fatal police shootings by Phoenix
police - all of which have involved people who were armed, the police
department told the Arizona Republic.
Ms Clarke said on Tuesday that the justice department will work with Phoenix
officials to find a "mutually acceptable" path forward.
âWe are taking all allegations seriously and are planning to review this
lengthy report with an open mind," said city manager Jeff Barton in a
statement.
The justice department has launched 11 investigations into law enforcement
agencies around the country since 2021.
That includes Louisville, Kentucky, where police shot and killed Breonna
Taylor, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, where George Floyd was killed while
being detained by police.
In both of those investigations, the justice department found wrongdoing on
the part of the respective police departments, including civil rights
violations and use of excessive force.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8vvl675nm0o