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Credit-card theft keeps ex-Tempe officer from serving in state again by Laurie Merrill and Lisa Halverstadt - Dec. 17, 2011 07:25 AM The Republic | azcentral.com A state board has ruled that a former Tempe police officer convicted of credit-card theft can no longer be a police officer in Arizona. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board this week approved the mandatary recovation of former Tempe police Officer Elliot Campell's certification. Campbell, 38, a 12-year Tempe veteran, was sentenced to two years' probation in October for credit-card theft. In other action involving Tempe law enforcement, the board also voted to initiate a case against Brandon Banks, a former School Resource Officer at McClintock High School. Campbell, according to AZ POST paperwork, was arrested in May on numerous felony charges related to the theft of a credit card, and tampering with evidence. Campbell had been taking evidence items from the Tempe Police Property Facility without authorization, board paperwork says. In a plea deal Oct. 21, Campbell was put on probation after pleading guilty to attempted credit-card theft and tampering with physical evidence, according to AZ Post. The Tempe Police Department fired Banks after an investigation concluded he lied about his whereabouts, saying he was at work when he was actualy at home. Banks, 40, an 11-year veteran, reportedly lied to investigators, saying he was at McClintock High School several times when he was home, according to AZ POST paperwork. "Banks was the subject of an internal investigation alleging a variety of issues related to his work ethics and integrity in reporting his daily work activities and reporting of his work locations," AZ POST meeting materials say. "The investigation determined several issues related to (Banks) providing false locations via radio to dispatch and to his supervisor. Oftentimes he was at home when he reported that he was presently at another work location conducting work-related business. "Officer Banks' dishonesty was confirmed via surveillance by investigators and by electronic card readers at the various Tempe Police Stations where he stated he was conducting business on certain days. (Banks) admitted to some of the misconduct, but on others he maintained that he was conducting business as he had reported, despite evidence that indicated differently." |