Sex In a Patrol Car Is A-OK: The Arizona POST Cover Up

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We at TucsonsCorruptLeadership.com are usually pointing out the negative crap that Tucson cops, as well as the Tucsonans they protect, have to deal with.  As you read through this investigation, it will be crystal clear to you that AZ POST Compliance Manager, Mike Giammarino, is either corrupt or incompetent.  We're not really sure if AZ POST Compliance Specialist, Catherine Hawse, is corrupt or incompetent or is she just too weak to stand up to her boss?  Let's also keep in mind that there was another incompetent or corrupt individual who was a part of this investigation named Ben Henry.  We now know he transferred to the state's liquor board as part of Governor Hobbs's administration right after this debacle.  

The way AZ POST personnel handled this investigation stunk from the beginning.  We believe the evidence proved SGT Jimmy Scott and his date, Corina Switzer, had sexual contact in his marked patrol car several times while he was on duty.  So how the hell could the decision be made to close this investigation "without initiating proceedings?"

I took another look at the AZ POST command structure and saw that the corruption and/or incompetence has come from the AZ POST Compliance Personnel.  Specifically, Compliance Specialist, Catherine Hawse, Compliance Manager, Michael Giarmmarino, Compliance, and Executive Directors, Matthew Giordano and Ben Henry.  After reviewing my correspondence with these individuals, it is clear that THIS is where the cover up occurred.  

**UPDATE**

So who do these people answer to?  Good question.  The answer is the AZ POST Board Members.  Mr. Giordano, the Executive Director, handles the day to day operations at AZ POST.  The Executive Director serves at the pleasure of the AZ POST Board Members.  Since we knew the AZ POST Compliance Personnel was corrupt or incompetent, we went to the board.  

On June 28, 2024 at 0952 hours, I sent the following email to Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and Mohave County Sheriff Schuster.

Sheriff Mark Dannels & Sheriff Doug Schuster,

I am reluctantly contacting you with a matter involving AZ POST that I wish did not need to be addressed.  I have submitted a public record request for the email addresses for the entire AZ POST board.  When I receive this information, I will inform the entire board of what you are about to read.

As long as I have worked in law enforcement, over 25 years, I have always known AZ POST to set the standards for peace officers in the State of Arizona.  That belief is now in question based on a recent experience.

I was made aware of an incident involving a sergeant with the Tucson Police Department who, over a period of 4-5 months, had sexual contact with an off-duty Tucson Police Dispatcher who was the sergeant's pregnant wife.  These encounters occurred while the sergeant was on-duty, he was in uniform, he was in a marked patrol car, and he was in an area that was open and accessible to the public (city park).  This sergeant and his date were actually caught "messing around" by a Tucson community member who made a complaint.  

Once he was caught, this sergeant lied about his involvement multiple times before finally admitting to "hugging, kissing, buttocks grabbing, and genital groping."

The sergeant's chain of command decided the appropriate punishment was termination.  Multiple commanders mobilized and quickly removed termination as a possible punishment.  It was agreed to by everyone involved that this sergeant was incapable of working without direct supervision, so he was to be demoted to the rank officer.  Then, miraculously, he was not demoted, he was given a 40-hour suspension.  

I notified AZ POST about this incident, or more accurately, this series of on-duty sex crimes.  I was advised that I had to rethink my complaint to fit the administrative law that is relevant to AZ POST.  I submitted my complaint about the on-duty sergeant who had sexual contact while on duty and then lied about his actions.  Unfortunately, my complaint was closed "without initiating proceedings."  I believe this was absolutely the wrong answer.

As I stated earlier, I will make this information available to the entire board when my request for their emails is fulfilled.  I contacted both of your offices, and I was provided with these email addresses.  I chose you two because you are the elected officials on the board.  I am aware AG K Mayes is also on the board, and she is an elected official but unfortunately, when I tried to make this information available to her office, there was not the least bit of interest.  

Again, in my decades of law enforcement in the State of Arizona, AZ POST always stood as the firewall that prevented a dishonest cop from continuing with their corrupt career.  AZ POST could always stop that career even if that corrupt cop was "in good" with their department.  Regarding this series of incidents, AZ POST has completely failed all Arizona Peace Officers as well as the citizens they protect.  I would hate to think that AZ POST has become a rubber stamp that allows corrupt departments to continue to employ dirty cops.  I hope this can be fixed.

The corruption in the City of Tucson Government has compelled me to establish a website ( Tucsonscorruptleadership ).  I have already documented these on-duty sex crimes and the subsequent coverups.  I invite you to see for yourself.

**All right, first things first, I have to point out my mistake!  It is on the 3rd paragraph and it is not in bold print.  It should read "who was NOT the sergeant's pregnant wife."  I correct this in a follow up email but there it is.**

On June 29, 2024 at 1921 hours, Sheriff Dannels responded.

Good Evening Mr. Voss,

To begin, I appreciate you reaching out to us reference your frustration regarding the content of your email.  The best way to address a wrong is to acknowledge it and ensure those empowered to address it fulfilled their expectation within the authority of their position. 

As the AZPOST Chair, I am unfamiliar, or do not recall hearing this complaint as described.  I will inquire into this matter on Monday with Executive Director Matt Giordano for an update, note -- I cc’d him on this email too.

  I can assure you, the membership and staff of AZPOST address all complaints in a manner of consistency and within procedures set and governed by the POST board.  My tenure on the board both as a member and now as the chair has been rewarding based on these objectives to do what’s right and required.  Transparency supported by the leadership of Director Giordano, our legal advisors, and the depth of experience and talent by the appointed board members serving our public safety partners promotes these successes.   

I have no issue with sharing the content of your of email to my fellow board members to ensure they hear your concerns too.  We don’t rubber stamp cases, we provide equal representation for all involved and based on the facts and our established rules, a decision is applied.

Either I, or Director Giordano will reach back out to you with an explanation to the status of this complaint. 

Thank You again for seeking an explanation/resolution to this concern and most important, be Safe out there too. 

There are two points I would like to make about this response.  The first thing is the timing.  I sent my email on a Friday morning.  Sheriff Dannels answered the next day (Saturday evening).  To me that says that Sheriff Dannels is a serious who takes his position as Sheriff just as serious as he takes his position as Chairman of the AZ POST Board.  The second point is Sheriff Dannels stated he was unaware of this series of sex crimes committed by an on-duty sergeant.  I could be wrong but that is the type of investigation that tends to stick in one's memory.  That confirms my belief that the AZ POST Compliance Personnel can make one of these investigations just go away without the advising the Board of what actually happened.  

Sheriff Dannels copied the Executive Director, Matthew Giordano, on my email.  His response is listed below.

 Good Afternoon Officer Voss,

I am in receipt of the email you sent to Sheriff Dannels and Sheriff Schuster.  As you know, I am familiar with the complaints you lodged against fellow / former members of the Tucson Police Department.  I am also familiar with and proud of the transparent process AZPOST uses to address complaints we receive.  In the matter you referenced to the Sheriffs, I am confident we thoroughly reviewed the documentation provided by the Tucson Police Department as part of the internal investigation they completed in 2018.  Based on our review of the information, the misconduct did not rise to the level of a violation of AZPOST rules.  We communicated this to you in a letter dated November 29, 2022 (a copy is attached). 

We are not aware of additional or new information which was not available to the Tucson Police Department in 2018 or to AZPOST in 2022 which would change our assessment.  Therefore, we will have no further correspondence with you regarding this matter.  

The last line in this corrupt man's response says a lot.  He has now cut off future correspondence.  How transparent...

I responded with this email to Sheriffs Dannels and Schuster as well as the corrupt Matthew Giordano.

I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly. I do not agree with your decision to sign off on months and months of on-duty sex acts committed by a supervisor who was on duty, in uniform, in a marked patrol car, and in an area that was open and accessible to the public. I will also remind you that AZ POST has denied 7 certifications, suspended 28 certifications, and revoked 27 certifications for sexual misconduct. I believe these numbers are for the last 10 years. 

I hope it is clear that I know that what SGT Scott did was wrong as was the cover up carried out by corrupt members of the Tucson Police Department. It should also be clear that I will not let this go. At some point in the near future, the question of “what did you know, and when did you know it?” will be asked to the people involved with this investigation. I hope that you are comfortable with your answer. 

James M Voss

Sheriff Dannels-   lawrea@mohave.gov 

Sheriff Schuster-  lawrea@mohave.gov 

Matthew Giordano-   mattg@azpost.gov 

The rest of AZ POST Board can (allegedly) be reached at  records@azpost.gov 

STAY TUNED on this one, I AM FAR FROM DONE!  Feel free to drop a line to any of the email addresses above and ask them why they decided to sign off of a police sergeant to have sex on duty!  Hopefully, the sheriffs will see they are being led astray by some corrupt people and they will wake up soon!

I made a public record request to AZ POST in January 2024.  I wanted to know how many Peace Officers in Arizona have had their POST certifications suspended, revoked, or denied for sexual misconduct.  If I am not mistaken, I requested AZ POST to go back 10 years in their records.  This was their response.

Good afternoon, James:

Your request for information regarding the number of cases involving sexual misconduct has been completed. The number of peace officers who have had their certification suspended, revoked, or denied are:

Suspended:  28

Revoked: 27

Denial: 7

Total cases: 62 

We already knew that AZ POST is supposed to set the standard for law enforcement in Arizona.  In fact, according to their own website, in the area under the heading of "What We Do," they claim "The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board stands to foster public trust and confidence by establishing and maintaining standards of integrity, competence, and professionalism for Arizona peace officers and correctional officers."

When we apply the actions and inactions of Sergeant James Scott of the Tucson Police Department and his date, off duty dispatcher, Corina Switzer, how they hell did AZ POST decide to "close this complaint without initiating proceedings?"

Stay tuned, we will soon be adding the e-mails between myself and AZ POST personnel and much, much more.