A member of the Chandler City Council is calling for the swift completion of an internal review of an off-duty Phoenix police sergeant’s behavior at a student protest against ICE in January.
Councilman OD Harris also wants Sgt. Dusten Mullen to apologize for coming to the Chandler protest masked and armed, allegedly intent on getting students to assault him so they’d be arrested.
“These are the same actions that got Phoenix in trouble before with the DOJ,” Harris said.
Harris is referring to a now retracted civil rights review, which found that Phoenix police retaliated against protesters with violence and bogus allegations.
Mullen was not on duty while in Chandler.
“He has a First Amendment right to counterprotest. But public servants are held to a higher standard,” Harris said.
Mullen is under internal investigation and on paid leave. He may face discipline from the Phoenix police chief.
Harris says Mullen’s actions were egregious and outrageous. He doesn’t want police creating a hostile environment.
“These students seeing a law enforcement officer act this way really hurts our chances of recruiting or bringing up new law enforcement officers from our own city,” Harris said.
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