MESA, AZ — A Mesa police sergeant with 18 years on the job has been charged with hindering prosecution after prosecutors said he alerted a suspected drug dealer to an approaching SWAT operation. Court records say the warning gave the target time to move drugs and a firearm before officers arrived.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office filed a direct complaint against Sgt. Edward Fire, 50, in connection with a March 10 incident involving a Chandler Police narcotics investigation tied to a Mesa apartment complex.
How investigators say the warning unfolded
According to court documents, Fire was on duty when his police terminal received an alert at 4:05 p.m. telling patrol units to stay clear of an upcoming Chandler Police SWAT raid. At 4:17 p.m., investigators say Fire texted the suspect, asking, “Are you home?”
After the suspect replied that he was, Fire allegedly placed a 58-second call to him. Records describe the two men as “drinking buddies” who had exchanged daily texts for months before the call…