State and local agencies will investigate the death of a man in Tempe, Arizona, last month who drowned after police officers responding to a disturbance call did not enter the water to reach the man,
State and local agencies will investigate the death of a man in Tempe, Arizona, last month who drowned after police officers responding to a disturbance call did not enter the water to reach the man, city and state officials announced Monday.
In the early morning hours of May 28, Tempe Police officers found Sean Bickings, 34, and a woman at a reservoir near the city's Elmore Pedestrian Bridge, according to a statement from the city of Tempe.
The officers were responding to a call about "an alleged fight" between Bickings, who the city described as "unsheltered," and his companion. The statement said both Bickings and his partner denied any physical violence had occurred, and neither of them were under arrest.
Officers were questioning Bickings and running his name through a database to determine if he had any outstanding warrants, the city said in a statement.
"That check had not yet been completed when Bickings decided to slowly climb over a 4-foot metal fence and enter the water," the statement said.
"He swam about 30-40 yards before repeatedly indicating he was in distress. He soon went under and did not resurface," the statement continued.
The Tempe Officers Association, the union that represents Tempe Police Department officers, officers do not receive training in water rescues and do not have the equipment to help people at risk of drowning.
"Attempting such a high-risk rescue could easily result in the death of the person in the water and the officer, who could be pulled down by a struggling adult. Officers are trained to call the Fire Department and or get the Tempe Police boat. That is what officers did here," the statement said.
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