4 Ex-Tucson Cops Banned from Arizona Law Enforcement

In a significant move, four former law enforcement officers from Southern Arizona have voluntarily surrendered their police certifications, with a fifth officer facing similar repercussions. This decision was confirmed earlier this week by officials from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training (APOST) board.

On Wednesday, the board approved consent agreements from Brandon Kelley, Arick Martino, and Lisa E. Lopez, who were all previously associated with the Tucson Police Department. Sandy Sierra, a representative for APOST, noted that these agreements allow the trio to relinquish their peace officer certifications voluntarily.

In Arizona, the absence of a valid peace officer certification prohibits individuals from engaging in law enforcement activities. Additionally, the board accepted former Cochise County sheriff’s deputy Steven D. Ray’s voluntary relinquishment of his certification as well.

Blake Deimund, a former sergeant with the Tucson Police Department, is currently under scrutiny. The board has initiated proceedings against him, which may lead to the suspension or loss of his certification.

Brandon Kelley, who was dismissed from TPD in November 2015, became embroiled in controversy after using offensive language towards a motorist and attempting to manipulate video evidence of the incident. Kelley’s actions were documented by the patrol car’s camera and corroborated by a civilian witness, leading to his termination for dishonesty, a decision later upheld by the City Civil Service Commission.

Arick Martino resigned from TPD following an incident in 2015 involving excessive force. After responding to a disturbance, Martino used inappropriate force on a restrained suspect, drawing intervention from other officers. His justifications for his actions were deemed unsupported by body camera footage and witness statements.

Lisa E. Lopez, a veteran officer with 19 years of service, resigned in September after an investigation revealed she failed to adequately investigate 36 cases in her role as a detective for child and vulnerable adult abuse. Specific details about her case remain limited as it went directly to a consent agreement.

Steven D. Ray worked nearly 18 years as a deputy before resigning in January, with the details of his infractions undisclosed as his case also progressed to a consent agreement.

Blake Deimund, who served almost 11 years at TPD, faced significant ramifications after it was discovered he lied regarding a traffic stop. He had initially reported a driver exceeding the speed limit, but later admitted he misstated the speed. This false reporting led to criminal charges against the driver being dismissed and a subsequent wrongful arrest claim against TPD.

The AZPOST plans to send a formal notification to Deimund regarding the charges, providing him the opportunity to contest the findings before an administrative judge.

For further inquiries, reporter Caitlin Schmidt can be reached at cschmidt@tucson.com or 573-4191. Follow her on Twitter: @caitlinschmidt.