The Phoenix Police Department has found itself under scrutiny after officers were accused of leaving a visibly distressed man on the side of the road, a sequence of events captured on film and witnessed by civilians. The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was left by officers near Central Arizona Shelter Services but curiously, not at its entrance, on the evening of March 21. The department has said that supervisors are now reviewing the actions of the officers involved, according to ABC15.
The footage, brought to light by a cell phone video provided to ABC15, shows two Phoenix officers unhandcuffing the man before he wobbles and ultimately drops to the ground. These officers subsequently left the scene. Stacey Champion, an advocate who was nearby, witnessing the incident, described the situation as “terribly dangerous,” and criticized the officers by stating, “Dumping someone on the street, who can’t walk, when your motto is protect and serve, is doing neither one of those things,” in a statement obtained by ABC15. Another aspect of the man’s condition, Champion noted, was his being without shoes, wallet, or phone.
Further details from the incident reveal that the man was initially found by officers banging on a resident’s door and appeared intoxicated. After being unable to provide his address, he was detained by the Phoenix police. They transported him to Valleywise Health Medical Center after noting a minor injury, but he was retrieved from the hospital after a call from its security and left near Central Arizona Shelter Services a short time later, according to AZCentral…