Three Phoenix police officers have been given 24-hour unpaid suspensions, with two of them required to undergo additional training, following the arrest of a deaf man with cerebral palsy last year. Tyron McAlpin was arrested after a man involved in a fight at a convenience store pointed him out to officers. Video footage shows McAlpin being punched and shocked with a stun gun during the arrest. McAlpin was initially charged with felony aggravated assault and resisting arrest, but these charges were dismissed in October. The Phoenix Police Department identified policy violations after an administrative investigation into the arrest.
The officers involved in the incident have not been named due to a possible appeal process. The suspended officers will serve a total of 24 hours without pay, which equates to a three-day suspension based on eight-hour shifts. Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan stated that the safety and well-being of the community are the department’s top priorities and that they take the concerns raised by the incident seriously. The incident occurred after a 911 call about a fight at a Circle K store, where a white man claimed McAlpin, who is Black, had assaulted him. McAlpin’s attorney criticized the use of excessive force in the arrest and the lack of interviews with witnesses.
There is no indication that officers were aware of McAlpin’s disabilities prior to his arrest. The interim police chief emphasized the department’s commitment to learning from the incident and moving forward as a stronger department and community. McAlpin’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
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