GLENDALE, Ariz. - A Nov. 2017 report obtained from the Glendale Police Department shows a response to each use of force by Officer Matt Schneider during the arrest of Johnny Wheatcroft on July 2017 outside of a Motel 6.
According to the report, based on the body camera footage, Glendale PD says Officer Schneider was within policy in all applications of force against Wheatcroft except for one.
The video shows Wheatcroft was stunned 11 times including hits to his groin. But Glendale police denied that allegation, instead saying the officer zapped Wheatcroft in the thigh.
RELATED: 'That’s not what they are trained to do': Law enforcement experts review Glendale tasing video
We'll go through clip by clip, as the report from Glendale PD does, of each use of force by Officer Schneider.
1433 hours (2:33 p.m.)
In this 30-second clip, Officer Schneider removes his taser and threatens to use it on Wheatcroft. According to the report from Glendale PD, Officer Schneider's actions were justified: "The suspect actions and words can be interpreted as being non-compliant thus the threatened use of the Taser is within policy under verbal non-compliance."
1434 hours (2:34 p.m.)
This clip shows Officer Schneider trying to put Wheatcroft in handcuffs. According to the report from Glendale PD, Officer Lindsey begins to apply drive stuns, which leads to more resistance from Wheatcroft. That's when Glendale PD says Officer Lindsey was struck by an object in a bag from female suspect Anya Chapman in the back seat, which police say knocked Officer Lindsey unconscious.
Officer Schneider then deployed probes onto Wheatcroft. "With Ofc. Lindsey laying injured and the situation escalating and getting out of control this use of force is within policy under defensive resistance," the report from Glendale PD says.
1435 hours (2:35 p.m.)
This clip shows Wheatcroft in handcuffs on the ground, but still caught in the seatbelt of the vehicle. According to the report from Glendale PD, Officer Fernandez completed handcuffing Wheatcroft and then "the male suspect is no longer resisting once the handcuffs were applied." That's when Officer Schneider applies a 2-3 second drive stun to Wheatcroft's right shoulder.
"This application of force is not within policy as the resistance had stopped," according to the Glendale PD report. This was the only act of force that was not within policy, according to the report from Glendale PD.
1436 hours part 1 (2:36 p.m.)
This slowed down clip shows what Wheatcroft's complaint says is Officer Schneider kicking Wheatcroft in the groin when he is face-down on the ground. According to the Glendale PD report, Wheatcroft is shown handcuffed prone on the ground with Officer Fernandez controlling his upper torso and Wheatcroft is complying with Officer Fernandez.
As Officer Lewis begins to take Chapman into custody for swinging the bag at Officer Lindsey, the report says Wheatcroft swings his legs around and appears to kick Officer Schneider. Officer Schneider immediately kicks Wheatcroft, who is trashing around.
"With the situation still not secured, the male suspect is now actively resisting officers control plus the application of force applied to Officer Schneider this kick is within policy under active resistance."
According to the transcript of Wheatcroft talking with Officer Schneider in the patrol vehicle after the arrest, Wheatcroft says to Officer Schneider, "You kicked me in my balls twice." To which Officer Schneider replies, "Yeah I did kick you in your balls." That exchange can be seen below:
1436 hours part 2 (2:36 p.m.)
This clip shows what Wheatcroft's complaint says is Officer Schneider tasing Wheatcroft in the testicles. Glendale PD said Officer Schneider tased Wheatcroft in the upper thigh.
Wheatcroft's shorts are pulled down and he is struggling on the ground. According to the report from Glendale PD, Officer Schneider grabs Wheatcroft's left leg and pins it to the ground with his leg. Officer Schneider then "applies a drive stun to the upper right thigh" for 2-3 seconds while holding Wheatcroft's ankle.
"This application of force is within policy under defensive resistance," the report says.
After the drive stun, Wheatcroft tries to move away and kicks his legs toward Officer Schneider. "It is reasonable for a suspect to try and get away from the source of pain during a drive stun," the report says. "Ofc. Schneider however may have perceived this as active resistance if the force was applied. Once the drive stun had stopped the male suspect continued to [roll] onto his right side. Ofc. Schneider appeared to have applied a second kick to the male suspect while he is laying on his right side."
The report goes on to say the second kick is reasonable and within policy.
According to a memorandum from Assistant Chief of Police Rich LeVander to Officer Schneider in Sept. 2018, Schneider was suspended without pay for 30 working hours.
"The Glendale Police Department conducted an Administrative Investigation into allegations of unlawful traffic stop, unlawful arrest, and excessive force used against a handcuffed subject," LeVander wrote. "The finding of this investigation sustained allegations made against you. Your misconduct constitutes major performance deficiencies and gross negligence in the performance of your job responsibilities."
According to the memorandum, Officer Schneider was previously investigated for workplace harassment and was given a written reprimand in June 2018.