Arizona officer is arrested in man’s assault

PHOENIX — A Phoenix police officer was arrested for allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man after prosecutors reviewed footage from his body-worn camera, authorities said.

Police said late Friday that 23-year-old officer Conner OrthSmith has resigned. They announced the arrest a week after Orth-Smith responded to hospital security guards who called for help with a man who refused to leave the property.

Phoenix police said the man appeared to be intoxicated, and OrthSmith agreed to take him to get help. The man, who was not identified, was eventually arrested for aggravated assault on a police officer.

A prosecutor reviewing the security camera footage flagged what appeared to be excessive use of force by the officer, and Phoenix police were notified on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

“Our review showed Orth-Smith physically assaulting the man while he was handcuffed causing visible injuries,” Phoenix police said in a news release. “The actions of the officer were unreasonable and in no way proportional to the man’s actions.”

Police and prosecutors did not release the body camera footage, but Police Chief Jeri Williams said the officer’s behavior was “egregious, appalling and will not be tolerated.”

“Acts like these leave a blemish on the badge and affect the noble profession of policing, making it more difficult for the men and women who police with integrity and honor,” Williams said.

Orth-Smith was hired in May 2020. After graduating from the police academy, he was assigned in November to a precinct in west Phoenix.

The officer was booked on suspicion of aggravated assault. Prosecutors have not decided whether to file charges. Orth-Smith could not be reached.