Deputy James was involved in a 2013 incident where he armed a civilian observer during a response to a domestic violence situation involving a fellow officer. Upon arrival, James provided a department-issued shotgun to the civilian, who was a trained corrections officer, and used him as backup. This action led to charges of violating policies related to civilian observers, specifically prohibiting them from carrying firearms and mandating their safety. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office charged James with these violations, but the Employee Merit Commission found that he acted reasonably under the department’s deviation policy.
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