Phoenix PD Sgt. Daniel Jones Fired After Internal Investigation

PHOENIX, AZ – Phoenix Police Sergeant Maggie Cox today reported the termination of fellow Phoenix PD Sergeant Daniel Beau Jones following completion of an internal investigation. “A criminal investigation is still ongoing, and to avoid jeopardizing that investigation, no additional information will be provided at this time,” Cox wrote in a statement.

Being under continued scrutiny is nothing new for the fired Jones, though. The New Times reported in September that four lawsuits against Jones accused him of harassing a female coworker whom he claimed he wanted to rape, threatening witnesses, beating civilians and seizing drug money wrongfully. All those lawsuits were settled. But on August 24, Phoenix PD Sergeant Vince Lewis said that internal and criminal investigations on Jones were starting, and that Jones was then on administrative leave. It's not known if the current criminal investigation is based upon past lawsuits against Jones or based on newer allegations.

Looking at Jones' lawsuit history, two of the settled lawsuits referred to an incident when Jones allegedly took a witness to a graveyard and told the witness “he better keep his mouth shut or he would end up buried in the cemetery,” according to lawsuit documents. As that federal case was underway in 2006, the City of Phoenix filed a motion “to exclude all evidence of prior investigations of the City of Phoenix Police Department of allegations of excessive force by Officer Jones.” The motion was denied.

A few days before that lawsuit's settlement, a female police officer filed a lawsuit against Jones for sexual harassment, hostile behavior and bullying. According to the lawsuit, he allegedly called her several derogatory names such as "useless 101" ("101" means "female" in cop talk) and "dumb bitch," among others; when she told him to stop the name calling, Jones told her “any snitch should or could get a bullet to the head.” The lawsuit also says Jones told the female officer that, “Snitches should be taken care of just like they are on the street” and that he wanted to rape her.

Read the full story at PhoenixNewTimes.com.