PHOENIX — The ABC15 Investigators have confirmed that a Phoenix police sergeant has been fired after videos captured him at a high school ICE protest armed and wearing a mask in January.
Last month, body camera video showed tense moments as off-duty Sergeant Dusten Mullen told a Chandler police officer he was at the protest with a goal to get kids in jail if they wanted to break the law.
Video in the player above shows previous coverage of the investigation into Sgt. Mullen.
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“My plan is legitimately to just let them all assault me, and you guys arrest them all,” Mullen could be heard saying, “ I will keep it on film. I also have other people filming from a distance, so my goal would be to get all these kids in jail if they want to break the law.”
Mullen was placed on administrative leave in April as the Phoenix Police Department investigated Mullen's involvement in the protest, which escalated to the arrest of one teenager.
A Chandler police report says that Mullen confronted students and was asked to move to avoid further escalation.
"The other officers advised the male did not wish to leave the area and was in fact calling other armed persons to respond to the area,” the report said.
During the protest, police arrested a teenager for allegedly throwing water on Mullen, but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office told ABC15 that the teen will not face charges.
Phoenix police chief Matthew Giordano sent the following statement regarding Mullen's employment:
“Since becoming Chief of the Phoenix Police Department, I have been clear about the standards of accountability and professionalism expected of every member of this department. Discipline is not about punishment--it is about correcting behavior. When behavior can be corrected, we take that path. But when an employee’s conduct is so serious that continued employment might no longer be viable, the matter proceeds through the Loudermill process.
That process happened this week with Sergeant Dusten Mullen. His actions raised significant concerns about judgment and professionalism. Although he was off duty and not in uniform, the oath we take binds us to a higher standard. After thorough consideration, I made the decision to terminate his employment.
Community trust is not something we are owed; it is something we earn every day. We strengthen that trust through transparency, accountability, consistent expectations, and meaningful engagement with the people we serve. Addressing misconduct swiftly and fairly is essential to maintaining that trust.”
Steve Serbalik, Mullen's attorney, released this statement after the decision was announced:
"Sgt. Mullen is disappointed by this decision, but not surprised. While he hoped that the City of Phoenix and Chief Giordano would conduct a “thorough and fair” investigation - that is not what occurred. It will now be up the the Court to protect the rights of Sgt. Mullen and the other members of AZCOPS. We look forward to a fair venue to address these issues."
This is a developing story, the ABC15 Investigators are working to learn more details about the termination.
