PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department said supervisors are reviewing the actions of officers who are accused of “dumping” a distressed man on the side of the road and driving away.
Officers left the man near 12th Avenue and Jefferson around 10:30 p.m. on March 21.
Witnessed recorded the situation and provided cell phone videos to ABC15.
“Dumping someone on the street, who can’t walk, when your motto is protect and serve, is doing neither one of those things,” said Stacey Champion.
Champion, an advocate who was in the area helping an elderly woman find shelter, was one of the people who saw it happen.
“It was just terribly dangerous,” she said.
The cell phone videos show a pair of police officers unhandcuffing the man, holding him as he wobbled around, and then letting him drop to the ground.
The officers then drove away as the man sat in the dirt.
ABC15 is not naming the man because he was not charged with any crime.
Champion said the man was crying and had blood on his hands.
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She also said he had no shoes, wallet, or phone. Champion and other witnesses stayed with him until he was able to tell them where he was staying.
The witnesses then helped the man get to a family member’s home.
“There is still this blatant and gross disconnect and really this lack of care and empathy and concern for people in vulnerable situations,” Champion said.
After sending copies of the videos to Phoenix police, a spokesperson sent ABC15 the following statement:
“This call began at approximately 9pm on March 21, 2025, when a resident called reporting an unknown man banging on her door. Officers responded and found the man sitting at the home outside next to the front door. He appeared intoxicated and could not provide information on his home address. Officers detained the man while they contacted the homeowner, who requested the man be removed. Officers observed a minor injury to the man’s thumb and transported him to County Hospital. Shortly after leaving the man at the hospital, police received a call from hospital security and the same officers responded, taking the man back into their patrol vehicle. At 10:30pm the man was taken to 12th Ave & Jefferson outside Central Arizona Shelter Services.”
Central Arizona Shelter Services is a block away from where the man was left. The statement did not say why officers didn’t take him to the entrance.
The police department’s statement added:
“Officers have discretionary judgement in a situation such as this. Officers opted against charging the man with a crime or booking him on disorderly conduct. The Phoenix Police Department is committed to community service and evaluating situations to determine where improvements can be made. In this case, supervisors are reviewing the footage to evaluate both areas where the officers displayed appropriate, professional conduct as well as additional steps that may have more successfully met the needs of this individual.”
Contact ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com.
