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Surprise police arrested one of their own Tuesday morning on suspicion of aggravated DUI and endangerment.
Mike Phillips, a rookie officer on the job less than a year, was booked after a collision in the area of Paradise Lane and Mountain Vista Boulevard.
Phillips, 39, a longtime McDonald's franchise manager before becoming an officer, was hired with two other rookies in August.
Police said Phillips struck a vehicle with an adult and a child passenger inside. Neither one were injured, a police news release said.
"During the course of the investigation it was discovered that Phillips was impaired," the release said.
"Due to the breath test administered on Phillips indicating that he had no alcohol in his system, a drug recognition expert (D.R.E.) was used to evaluate Phillips," it said. "The D.R.E. determined that Phillips was under the influence of a nervous system depressant."
Phillips was booked into the Maricopa County 4th Avenue jail. He's on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, officials said.
In an Aug. 25 Republic article about the hiring of Phillips and two other officers, a police official said the three hires went through a rigorous background screening including a polygraph test.
Sgt. Michael Stewart, who oversees the Police Department's recruitment and hiring, said he and his counterparts at other agencies call friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers to ask about an applicant's personality and background.
He said Phillips and his fellow rookies were hired because they tested well and impressed police supervisors, Stewart said.
Lt. Penny Riherd said at the time that department officials chose to hire Phillips in part because he was new to law enforcement to maintain a balance of veterans and newcomers, Riherd said.
There are benefits to hiring novice and veteran officers.
"New guys coming in, they're absolutely new, so everything they learn is going to be the Surprise way, how we do business," Stewart said. "With laterals, they don't have to go to the academy. We save time, money and training on that aspect and they're bringing in experience, But then, there's the retraining aspect."
Veteran officers bring valuable experience but may take some time to become familiar with Surprise police policies, the sergeant said.
Surprise police arrested one of their own Tuesday morning on suspicion of aggravated DUI and endangerment.
Mike Phillips, a rookie officer on the job less than a year, was booked after a collision in the area of Paradise Lane and Mountain Vista Boulevard.
Phillips, 39, a longtime McDonald's franchise manager before becoming an officer, was hired with two other rookies in August.
Police said Phillips struck a vehicle with an adult and a child passenger inside. Neither one were injured, a police news release said.
"During the course of the investigation it was discovered that Phillips was impaired," the release said.
"Due to the breath test administered on Phillips indicating that he had no alcohol in his system, a drug recognition expert (D.R.E.) was used to evaluate Phillips," it said. "The D.R.E. determined that Phillips was under the influence of a nervous system depressant."
Phillips was booked into the Maricopa County 4th Avenue jail. He's on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, officials said.
In an Aug. 25 Republic article about the hiring of Phillips and two other officers, a police official said the three hires went through a rigorous background screening including a polygraph test.
Sgt. Michael Stewart, who oversees the Police Department's recruitment and hiring, said he and his counterparts at other agencies call friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers to ask about an applicant's personality and background.
He said Phillips and his fellow rookies were hired because they tested well and impressed police supervisors, Stewart said.
Lt. Penny Riherd said at the time that department officials chose to hire Phillips in part because he was new to law enforcement to maintain a balance of veterans and newcomers, Riherd said.
There are benefits to hiring novice and veteran officers.
"New guys coming in, they're absolutely new, so everything they learn is going to be the Surprise way, how we do business," Stewart said. "With laterals, they don't have to go to the academy. We save time, money and training on that aspect and they're bringing in experience, But then, there's the retraining aspect."
Veteran officers bring valuable experience but may take some time to become familiar with Surprise police policies, the sergeant said.
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