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Phoenix police officers placed on leave after traffic stop sparked wrongdoing accusations

By
FOX 10 Phoenix
Crime and Public Safety
Updated August 18, 2026 10:57 AM MST Published August 17, 2026 5:48 PM MST

The Brief

    • Phoenix Police say two of their officers have been put on administrative leave following a traffic stop that has sparked "accusations from community members alleging criminal conduct."
    • The traffic stop happened in South Phoenix on the night of Aug. 5.
    • An administrative investigation will take place after a criminal probe, police say.

PHOENIX - Phoenix Police say two of their officers have been placed on administrative leave, as the department looks into "accusations from community
members alleging criminal conduct."

What we know:

In a statement released on Aug. 17, Phoenix Police say based on preliminary information, the incident stems from a traffic stop that happened at around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 5 in South Phoenix.

"During the traffic stop, force was used by the officers and not reported as required by policy, including the failure to activate their body‑worn cameras," read a portion of the statement. "Although details remain limited at this early stage, we recognize the seriousness of any allegation involving potential criminal behavior by our personnel."

What we don't know:

Phoenix Police did not identify the two officers allegedly involved.

Dig deeper:

While Phoenix Police didn't get into what allegedly happened, a separate statement released by Tempe Police on Aug. 18 gave us some additional details surrounding the alleged incident.

Per Tempe PD's statement, the alleged incident began as a call for service regarding a disabled vehicle in the area of Baseline Road and Priest Drive.

"Investigation revealed the original incident had occurred in the area of 19th Ave. and Broadway Rd., which is why the report was ultimately turned over to Phoenix Police," read a portion of the statement.

In the same statement, Tempe Police said the alleged victims "did not say they thought the suspects were Phoenix Police."

"The victims were unsure of who the suspects were, but believed them to be ‘police’ of some sort," read a portion of the statement.

What Phoenix Police Is Saying:

"Our Special Investigations Detail is conducting a criminal investigation into these allegations," Phoenix Police officials wrote. "In accordance with protocol, once the criminal investigation is completed, the Professional Standards Bureau will initiate an administrative investigation. These processes are intended to ensure a thorough, impartial, and comprehensive review of the incident."

The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the Phoenix Police Department.

Crime and Public SafetySouth PhoenixNews