PHOENIX — State lawmakers representing south Phoenix sent a letter Friday afternoon to city leaders demanding accountability amid a criminal investigation into allegations made against two South Mountain Precinct officers.
ABC15 identified officers Luis Vasquez Jr. and Antonio Felix as the two Phoenix cops under criminal investigation for a violent and unreported traffic stop.
Phoenix police confirmed the criminal investigation after questions from ABC15, saying the officers failed to report use of force and did not activate their body-worn cameras.
Phoenix’s criminal investigation was sparked after Tempe Police received a call about a disabled vehicle. Tempe PD initially thought it was a case involving two people impersonating police.
According to the police report released by Tempe PD, a couple claims they were stopped, tased and punched. The man said an officer counted down to shoot him and had pieces of his hair pulled out.
Amid community frustration, State Senator Catherine Miranda and Representatives Junelle Cavero and Oscar De Los Santos sent a letter to the city and police department asking for answers posed by their constituents:
"South Phoenix has a long and complicated history with law enforcement. Trust cannot be taken for granted. It must be earned through transparency, accountability and equal treatment under the law.
ABC15 is committed to finding the answers you need and holding those accountable.
Submit your news tip to Investigators@abc15.com
We are demanding answers:
Will there be an outside, third-party investigation? As you know, the Arizona Department of Public Safety in 2022 established a Major Incident Division to investigate use-of-force incidents at the request of law enforcement agencies (an idea originated by former LD 11 and House Democratic Leader Reginald Bolding).
Do these officers have a history of complaints, misconduct allegations or use-of-force incidents?
Why were their body cameras not activated, and what consequences will follow?
Will Phoenix Police conduct a broader review of their previous conduct, including stops, complaints and use-of-force incidents?
An investigation cannot become an excuse for silence. Our constituents deserve to know what happened, whether these officers have previously been the subject of complaints, and whether there are broader concerns that need to be addressed. We will continue demanding answers until our constituents have them. We will not allow this matter to disappear from public view."
Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano released a video statement Wednesday saying that accountability in the case is the department’s top priority.
“Those questions matter and they deserve answers and we understand community concerns. We must allow the investigative process to proceed thoroughly and without interference,” Giordano said.
The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association said the officers are entitled to due process, fair investigation and presumption of innocence until all facts are known.
"We will not participate in a rush to judgment before all the facts are known,” President Darrell Kriplean said in part. "At the same time, wearing a Phoenix Police badge comes with enormous responsibility. If credible evidence ultimately establishes that officers knowingly engaged in criminal conduct and betrayed public trust, PLEA will not excuse it or defend the conduct.”
District 7 City Councilwoman Anna Hernandez also released a statement Wednesday saying in part:
"While my office does not yet have the full details of what transpired, I am not surprised by any of it. And I am beyond frustrated – and imagine our community is as well – that a department that we give $1.3 billion in taxpayer money keeps finding ways to brutalize our communities, especially Black and Latinx communities.”
