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VIDEO: Officers Placed on Administrative Leave

As a result the PD has changed its use-of-force policy

By Calibre Press | Jun 6, 2018

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From EastValleyTribune.com:

Two internal investigations by outside agencies at Chief Ramon Batista’s request and seven officers have been suspended with pay pending their outcome.

Reacting to the videos, Batista took the offensive, releasing the film clips to the media and arranging for the Police Executive Research Forum to review all use of force incidents during the past three years and to make recommendations on how to eliminate excessive violence.

Batista and City Manager Chris Brady also lured former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley out of retirement to monitor the internal investigation into the actions of five officers who has been placed on administrative leave during the review.

Scottsdale police also are conducting a criminal investigation to see if any charges should be pressed against the officers. The videos show an officer punching a suspect who refused police commands to sit down at an apartment complex during a domestic violence investigation on May 23, while other officers wrestle him to the ground.

Five officers have been suspend in that case.

“This week, the Mesa Police Department has been in the news for all the wrong reasons,’’ Batista said during a Friday press conference. That came a day after videos from the May 17 arrests were released, along with a police report.

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As a result of the incident, the Mesa Police Department has changed its use-of-force policy so that officers can only hit people in the head or face if they become physically violent, officials said. Previously, the policy could be interpreted that it was acceptable for an officer punch someone even before they turned violent.