Last year, Tempe police officers handcuffed and arrested off-duty Chicago police officer Jalen Woods for allegedly “chirping” his tires while driving on Mill Avenue. The charges were later dropped, but the incident generated a firestorm of criticism of how aggressively Tempe officers treated Woods, who is Black.
Now, nearly a year later, Woods is suing the city in federal court over the incident. In the suit, which was filed Monday, Woods accused the city and specific officers of unlawfully searching his car without probable cause or a warrant, discriminating against him because of his race and retaliating against Woods for speaking to the press and filing a complaint against the city.
Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy and seven other Tempe police officers are named as defendants along with the city…