GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Glendale Police Department is still defending its officers who are seen in body camera video shocking a suspect with a stun gun close to a dozen times.
We brought the body camera video of Officer Matt Schneider to two police experts.
Both experts said more information, as in other body camera angles and context to the traffic stop, would be provided, which could change their perspectives.
During the beginning of the stop, Officer Schneider approaches the stopped car in a hotel parking lot.
"Right now, it's textbook," said Isabella Maldonado, retired police captain with more than 20 years of experience with the Fairfax County Police Department In Virginia and 12 News' law enforcement expert.
Schneider asked passenger Johhny Wheatcroft for his ID, which Wheatcroft said he did not have.
Officer Schnieder said Wheatcroft needed to have his ID on him. Both Maldonado and former Phoenix assistant police chief Andy Anderson said that is not required. However, it is not illegal for officer Schneider to ask for the identification.
The trouble started, according to our experts, when officer Schnieder pulled out his stun gun.
"I'm not sure why that's the case, and I'm real concerned about it," Anderson said.
Wheatcroft was then put into an arm bar before being twisted in his seat with the seatbelt still on.
"He can’t get out, so he’s giving him commands that he can’t comply with," Maldonado said.
Then Wheatcroft was hit with the stun gun multiple times in quick succession. During the tasings, Schneider's fellow officer was "knocked out," according to Glendale PD.
Over the next 30 seconds, police handcuff Wheatcroft, and then tase him again.
"That’s not what they are trained to do," Anderson said.
According to Anderson, most police districts prohibit tasing a handcuffed suspect. Glendale's policy was not found online.
The tase with Wheatcroft handcuffed and sitting, was the only one Glendale PD said did not follow policy. For that, Officer Schneider was suspended for three days.
Glendale police defended other tasings as following police policy. Later in the altercation, Officer Schneider grabs Wheatcroft's shorts, resulting in Wheatcrofts rear-end to be exposed, before tasing him at or near the groin.
Wheatcroft in a lawsuit alleges he was tased on the testicles, while Glendale police say the tasing occurred on the suspect's upper thigh.
"I think regardless of where it was tased, it was probably inappropriate at that point. But if it was in the groin area, then it’s outrageous," Anderson said. "If the taser is not working, you go to something else. Tasing someone over and over again is ill-advised and dangerous."
Less than a minute after the tase at or near the groin, Officer Schneider once again put the tase near Wheatcroft's crotch, saying:
"Keep fighting you're going to get it again. You want it again?"
"Right there is definitely a problem. A taser is not something you use to threaten someone with," Maldonado said.
Both experts expressed concern that videos like this hurt the public trust in police officers.
“The only thing you can do to restore public trust at this point is accountability," Maldonado said.