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Arizona State University police chief retires after being put on leave over protests

Former Arizona State University Police Chief Michael Thompson
Emmanuel Padilla/Arizona State University
Former Arizona State University Police Chief Michael Thompson

Arizona State University’s chief of campus police, Michael Thompson, has announced his retirement.

The move comes after Thompson was placed on paid administrative leave, following complaints filed related to his actions during the late-April encampment on the school’s Tempe campus.

Thompson was recorded via cellphone video cutting into and throwing tents on the Alumni Lawn.

University officials confirmed that Thompson had left a previous meeting to respond to the protest. Following the encampment, 72 people were arrested.

A spokesperson confirmed that Thompson’s retirement will be effective Aug. 24, adding that ASU wishes him well.

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Kirsten Dorman is a field correspondent at KJZZ. Born and raised in New Jersey, Dorman fell in love with audio storytelling as a freshman at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2019.