Arizona POST investigating conduct of off-duty Phoenix officer

PHOENIX — A Phoenix Police Officer is the subject of an internal investigation by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for conduct while intoxicated, as well as for disseminating sensitive police information for reasons other than the administration of justice.

Officer Timothy Clark was the subject of an email sent to the Professional Standards Bureau from a City of Fresno, California, police dispatcher, advising the PSB that a Phoenix police officer was sending privileged law enforcement information to a coworker for “purposes other than the administration of justice.”

The dispatcher alleged that Clark met her co-worker, another dispatcher, on social media, and the two communicated via phone, text, messenger, and video chat. During their relationship—from July through September of 2023—Clark allegedly sent multiple media items to the second dispatcher, such as body-worn camera videos, photos of firearms, and an accident scene photo.

The allegations were sent to the Special Investigations Division to determine if they involved criminal behavior. The detective who interviewed the dispatchers determined that while the allegations were not criminal, they were a clear violation of policy. 

PSB investigators interviewed Clark on November 29, 2023. After the interview, the investigators determined that Clark “knowingly and willfully shared sensitive and privileged information he acquired while on duty with a third party for reasons other than the administration of justice.”

According to investigation documents from AZPOST, “Officer Clark received a 240-hour suspension and a Last Chance Agreement as a result of this, and a separate, unrelated investigation. Officer Clark remains employed/appointed with PPD.”

Officer Timothy Clark attended an Arizona Diamondbacks game on Oct. 11, 2023, and consumed at least 10 standard alcoholic beverages, according to documents from AZPOST.

The game on Oct. 11 was the Diamondbacks’ third straight win in the series. They swept the Los Angeles Dodgers and secured a spot in the National League Division Series for the first time since 2007.

Clark was also interviewed by the Professional Standards Bureau administrative investigators on November 15, 2023. 

The documents state that Clark attended the game with another officer, and when the game was finished, both of them went to a restaurant. Clark may have consumed more alcoholic beverages, but according to the documents, “Clark could not recall whether he actually consumed them.”

Clark told PSB investigators that when he figured out the other officer he had been with had left, he “got upset,” because the officer he came with was “supposed to be his transportation,” and now Clark was “stranded” downtown. 

Clark then walked alone to another restaurant nearby and possibly got into an altercation with an employee. According to documents from AZPOST, Clark said he had limited memories of the night in question because of his inebriation. 

Clark then left the restaurant and approached two on-duty officers who were investigating an unrelated trespassing incident. According to investigation documents, Clark “interjected himself” into the situation, telling the officers who were present that he was off-duty, and that the woman involved in the trespassing incident “had been causing problems.”

While the officers dealing with the unrelated trespassing incident spoke with the restaurant manager, Clark also interjected himself there. One of the on-duty officers told him to “back up,” at which point Clark showed the officer what appeared to be his badge and commission card. 

Later, the manager told the on-duty officers that Clark was an “issue all night,” but the manager “forgave him” because he knew Clark was “a little buzzed up.” 

When interviewed by PSB, Clark said he “possibly got into it with one of the employees.” He could not remember whether he and the employee had a disagreement or an argument, but he said he remembered going outside. 

The on-duty officers were called back to the restaurant just after midnight for reports that Clark had returned, “very [intoxicated] and was causing problems. According to investigation documents, he kicked the windows of a business and was “flipping people off.”

By the time the on-duty officers got to the restaurant, Clark had left, investigation documents state.

When he was interviewed by PSB, Clark said he “believed the alcohol he consumed ‘most definitely’ contributed to his behavior and if he would have been sober, he would not have behaved the way he did.”

He also stated that the behavior he displayed at the restaurant was “absolutely not” appropriate conduct for a police officer.

Clark then walked to a pub located nearby, and he told investigators he consumed at least two more shots of liquor, but “he could not recall exactly how many shots he had.”

While at the pub, Clark told a female employee he could break a picture frame hanging on the wall. The employee told him not to, but Clark wrapped a towel around his hand and punched the picture frame, causing the glass to break. At this point, investigation documents say Clark attempted to walk quickly to the back door in what looked to be “an attempt to flee.”

A security guard, wearing plain clothes rather than a uniform, caught up with Clark and tried to stop him from leaving. Clark pulled out his wallet and again attempted to show his police badge. 

“Officer Clark yelled at the security guard and said something to the effect of, ‘you better not tell me you’re a [expletive] cop,’ investigation documents state.

Clark and the security guard got into multiple physical altercations while the security guard attempted to restrain Clark. During the struggle, Clark grabbed hold of the security guard’s watch, broke it off his wrist, and then threw it across the bar. Clark also bit and scratched the security guard’s wrist in an attempt to break free. 

The security guard placed his left arm around Clark’s neck and applied pressure until Clark lost consciousness. 

The on-duty police officers from earlier in the night responded after an employee called 911 and conducted an investigation, ultimately arresting Clark for criminal damage and assault. He was placed in the backseat of a patrol vehicle where he yelled, swore, and kicked the inside of the back door where he was seated.

In his interview with PSB investigators, Clark said he yelled and kicked to try to get the arresting officers’ attention “because the handcuffs were hurting his wrists” and he “wanted the cuffs readjusted.”

The investigation documents state that when Clark was being interviewed by a detective after his arrest, “he did not answer direct questions pertaining to his conduct relating to elements of criminal damage and assault; however, he did express his embarrassment over what had occurred.”

In his PSB interview, Clark investigators “the behavior he displayed at Seamus McCaffrey’s bar was ‘not at all’ professional for a police officer and it was ’embarrassing’ and brought discredit to the Phoenix Police Department.”

The officer who interviewed Clark wrote in her incident report that while Clark did cause minor injury to the security guard, based on the circumstances, his actions could be considered “self-defense by a person who was being restrained and [whose] breathing was being compromised by another person.”

Clark told PSB detectives he wanted to “apologize to everybody.”

“I definitely take ownership for that. I, obviously, no matter what, I was in the wrong and I feel bad putting the officers in that position, because I couldn’t imagine being in that position, myself,” Clark said during his PSB interview. “I know I had them in a pretty bad spot and I feel bad about it and looking back at it, you know, I wish I could take it all back, but I can’t, so, at this point it’s just a kinda, you know, accepting, accepting it all and trying to move forward at this point.”

The owner of the pub and the security guard declined to press charges. 

The AZPOST reviews agency investigations involving any allegations of misconduct by Arizona-certified peace officers relating to violations of AZPOST rules, according to the organization’s website. 

Compliance specialists present findings to the AZPOST board, which then makes a determination of whether or not to pursue further action against the officer’s law enforcement certification.

The action could include:

• revocation
• suspension
• denial 
• take no-action

According to investigation documents, staff “recommends that the Board initiate proceedings.” 

No action has been taken by the board yet. 

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