2 Phoenix officers arrested after violent traffic stop

Charges included suspicion of aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, felony assault, threatening and intimidating, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence, the chief said at a news conference late Saturday.

The arrests capped a week of controversy that began with the announcement the officers had been placed on leave as Phoenix investigated allegations that a man and woman had been beaten and tased after being pulled over. The allegations came to light in a report from Tempe police.

Vasquez and Felix were interviewed Saturday, Giordano said, and both gave voluntary statements to investigators.

Phoenix police then arrested the two officers right before firing them, Police Cmdr. Mercedes Fortune said.

Giordano said both officers were on duty when the encounter occurred.

Fortune said Felix had been with the department for nine years and Vasquez for eight.

Vasquez and Felix were being held at a city facility and were expected to be transferred to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Giordano said.

Detectives determined that both a man and woman involved in the stop were assaulted and that a Taser was used during the encounter. Investigators found no indication that Vasquez or Felix knew the man and woman before the stop, Giordano said.

Giordano said detectives uncovered significantly more information that showed what he called "egregious" conduct. "There is no excuse for the conduct these two officers engaged in," he said.

"It should have never happened to them at all," Giordano said of the man and woman.

Giordano acknowledged the erosion of trust in the department from the incident and how that trust must be won back.

"Well, I think it starts here today. We're here on a Saturday night, just a little over a week from when we found out that this occurred, and we've taken a swift, decisive action, and now we're sharing with the community. And we'll continue to share as we move along.

"We've worked so hard over the last several years to build trust, and to me it seems like we're taking steps backwards. We need to continue to move forward to provide a better level of service to the community."

"I’m committed to rebuilding the trust, starting today," he said.

Giordano said the department’s Organizational Integrity Bureau and Professional Standards Bureau would investigate whether any other officers were involved and whether the conduct reflected a broader, systemic problem within the Phoenix Police Department.

An investigation would review data, body-worn cameras, radio traffic and the automatic vehicle locator in police vehicles, he explained.

"We've already started. We'll be going through all that with a fine-tooth comb. We'll be looking for anomalies. Looking for things that just aren't right to see if there any other issues," Giordano said.

Both Vasquez and Felix had previous policy violations, Giordano said, though he declined to provide details about them. He said the previous violations were not on the scale of the conduct uncovered in the current investigation.

Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean issued a statement after the news conference saying the rank-and-file officers union supported Giordano and the department’s decision to fire the officers after its investigation.

"PLEA takes seriously its responsibility to defend the rights and due process of officers who serve our community. At the same time, that responsibility does not prevent us from recognizing when allegations of misconduct warrant thorough investigation and appropriate accountability," the statement said.

Kriplean called the conduct described in the charges "serious and inconsistent with the standards expected of those entrusted to serve as Phoenix police officers."

Here's what we know about the arrest of the officers and the original case they were involved in.

A traffic stop turned violent

A couple told Tempe police that two men in what appeared to be a police vehicle forced their way into their car and assaulted them with their fists and a stun gun during an Aug. 5 traffic stop in south Phoenix.

The driver also told police that one of the men drew a handgun and threatened to shoot him if he did not get out of the vehicle.

The driver eventually fled in the car, while his girlfriend remained behind and was later released, according to the Tempe police report. The couple initially did not report the encounter because they feared retaliation from police.

Giordano said Saturday that the man and woman were very hesitant to deal with law enforcement after what happened. He added that there was no indication the two knew either officer.

Tempe officers later interviewed them and referred the case to Phoenix police. Giordano thanked the Tempe Police Department for its assistance in the investigation.

Phoenix police had been investigating the incident as a criminal matter. The two officers had been placed on administrative leave on suspicion of failing to document their use of force or activate their body-worn cameras during the stop. The officers had not previously been publicly identified.

The case has prompted calls for answers from Phoenix officials, community groups and three south Phoenix lawmakers, who questioned the officers’ conduct and why their body cameras were not activated. The lawmakers also asked whether the officers had a history of complaints, misconduct allegations or use-of-force incidents.

Addressing the victims during the news conference, Giordano said, "Thank you for trusting us and talking to us, telling us what happened to make sure that we could address it, address it appropriately, and hold these former officers accountable."