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Ex-Tucson Cops Stripped of State Police Certification
Four former Tucson law enforcement officers have been stripped of their ability to work in law enforcement in Arizona.
During a meeting of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training board on Wednesday, agreements were reached with two former officers to voluntarily surrender their peace officer certifications. Additionally, one certification was revoked, stated board spokeswoman Sandy Sierra.
Without valid peace officer certification, employment within law enforcement is not permissible.
Former Pima County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Christopher Radtke and former Tucson Police Officer Daniel Santa Cruz were among those who relinquished their certifications. The board also revoked the certification of former Tucson Police Detective Rodolfo Rodriguez Jr.
Another agreement was made with former Tucson Police Officer Steven Pupkoff, suspending his certification for 18 months. Proceedings were initiated against a fifth officer, Jaime Gutierrez, who has been terminated twice by Tucson Police Department.
Radtke faced federal charges of conspiracy to launder money and theft related to funds involving federal money. His offenses included diverting roughly $500,000 from RICO funds between 2011 and 2016 for personal use, which led to his indictment in September. After pleading guilty to three misdemeanor counts earlier this year, he was sentenced to probation and community service, and is barred from seeking law enforcement employment.
Santa Cruz resigned from Tucson Police Department in 2015 after being linked to a local prostitution ring. TPD’s investigation showed extensive contact with massage parlors and individuals involved in illegal activities. The board rejected his proposed consent agreement for a two-year suspension of his certification in a meeting last September.
Rodriguez was terminated from TPD for failing to conduct thorough investigations and submitting false paperwork. These failures included mishandling child abuse cases, which he admitted would complicate prosecutions. His appeal against termination was unsuccessful.
Pupkoff, arrested last June for an off-duty DUI, was found slumped over his car’s steering wheel following a collision. His blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit. Following his guilty plea in March to extreme DUI, he was sentenced to jail time and a fine.
Gutierrez was fired from TPD for dishonesty and violating departmental policies, including not reporting a suspect’s incriminating statements and use of force in a domestic-violence incident. Despite filing an appeal, the Civil Service Commission upheld his termination. He will receive formal notification of charges, allowing his case to be heard by an administrative court judge.