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Thursday, October 26, 2017

Update on the Buckeye Scandal

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss interactions between police and autistic people.   Police officers need training to respond appropriately.  When they do not, things get out of hand.

In Phoenix, Dave Biscobing reports at KNXV-TV:
The Buckeye police officer, who traumatized an autistic child he mistook for a drug user, has a mixed record that includes high praise for his DUI enforcement but also multiple concerns over potential acts of cowardice and unconstitutional stops, records show.

Officer David Grossman was hired by the Buckeye Police Department in 2009.
...
In 2011, Grossman was put under an extensive “performance improvement plan.” The plan sought to correct several instances of unconstitutional actions, poor report writing and issues with his vehicle operation.

But most concerning, the plan addressed multiple police calls in which supervisors felt Grossman "failed to act" in critical situations, which violated department policies that cover “cowardice" and "unsatisfactory performance."

One of the situations was so concerning that a supervisor questioned Grossman’s fitness for the job.

“I am concerned that your situational awareness may not be adequate for the rigors of law enforcement,” the supervisor wrote.