A Phoenix Police officer has been suspended after tackling a
15-year-old girl. The video, posted on YouTube, made national headlines two
years ago. Monday, that officer appealed, saying his punishment is too harsh,
fighting the 5-day suspension at a hearing. That hearing is closed to the
public at his request, so we won't get to hear why he believes his punishment
was too harsh. Officer Patrick Larrison believes he acted within policy when he
tackled a 15-year-old girl to the ground. Police were called to the school
after they say a drunk teenager got into a fight with her teacher, then started
walking away when officers got there. This
YouTube video sparked a yearlong investigation. A disciplinary review board
recommended a 32-hour or 4-day suspension. But Chief Daniel Garcia thought the
punishment should be more severe and gave Larrison a 40-hour or 5-day
suspension. Typically that's the maximum number of days you can suspend an
officer. Larrison has since appealed the chief's decision and today he went
through his first city civil service hearing. Sources told us Larrison has at
least three experts within the department who watched the video and agree he
acted within policy. The results of Monday's hearing won't be made public for
about a month. That's when the city's civil service board will make a decision.
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