Phoenix police say the officer who detained a Wall Street Journal reporter conducting interviews outside a bank last year will undergo training. And the agency has revised its policy on trespassing after a discovery related to the officer’s conduct.
But the department says the officer was not wrong to detain the reporter.
In November, the Phoenix Police Department said it would conduct an administrative investigation into the detainment of Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Rabouin.
The Wall Street Journal wrote a letter in the reporter’s defense, stating that he had the right to be on the sidewalk, engaged in newsgathering.
Rabouin also filed a complaint with the department’s Professional Standards Bureau against officer Caleb Zimmerman.
In a statement Wednesday, Phoenix police said an internal investigation found that “allegations of unlawful detention, detention based on race and excessive force were unfounded.”
But it did find that Zimmerman wrongfully removed Rabouin’s wallet from his pocket.
Phoenix police cited lack of clarity for why no written reprimand was issued. But its policy on trespassing has been revised to outline differences between arresting and detaining someone.
