Glendale Police details 2017 volatile police situation

GLENDALE, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- On Friday, Glendale Police officials discipline has been implemented regarding certain tactics used by one officer, during a 2017 incident they termed a "volatile policing situation".

According to the statement, the incident happened on July 26, on the 5900 block of W. Myrtle Avenue. Officers were in the area conducting intensive patrol, due to an increase in reported crime, and at about 7:30 p.m., officers Matt Schneider and Mark Lindsey contacted people inside a Ford Taurus after Schneider saw a traffic violation.

As the officers approached the car, Glendale Police officials say they discovered three adults and two children inside. The adults in the front seat are identified as Shawn Blackburn and Johnny Wheatcroft, and the adult in the back seat is identified as Anya Chapman. After officers made contact with the car, both of them noticed that Wheatcroft was reaching down below the seat, and into a backpack. Wheatcroft also refused to identify himself and failed to obey instructions to stop reaching his hands beneath the seat.

Officers, according to officials, then tried to remove Wheatcroft from the car, so they could maintain a safe eye on him, but Wheatcroft immediately began to resist the officers. Officers then displayed their Tasers and warned Wheatcroft of potential Taser use. Wheatcroft continue to argue, yell, and physically resist the officers' control hold, and as a result of the physical resistance, and officials say the Taser was used in a "drive stun" capacity on Wheatcroft.

As officers tried to detain Wheatcroft, police officials say Chapman swung a bag filled with bottled drinks, which struck Officer Lindsey in the head and rendered him unconscious. Officer Schneider then deployed his Taser, striking Wheatcroft. Officer Schneider then asked for additional officers to respond, and when multiple officers arrived at the scene, they tended to Officer Lindsey and helped detain Wheatcroft, as he was continuing to resist officers by kicking and screaming.

Police contend that Wheatcroft remained combative, even though his feet are tangled in the seatbelt. According to a lawsuit, officers would continue to tase Wheatcroft, including in the groin area, for several minutes as Wheatcroft laid on the hot asphalt.

Wheatcroft and Chapman, according to officials, were later taken into custody. Officers found a usable quantity of meth inside the car in an investigation.

Officials say Wheatcroft and Chapman were charged with Aggravated Assault, which Chapman pleaded guilty to. As for Officer Lindsey, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment and returned to full duty several days later. Officials say a review of the officers' actions has been performed, but they did not give any details as to what the review found.