Termination of former Maricopa police officer upheld after appeal hearing

Maricopa has upheld the termination of former Police Officer Craig Curry after an appeal hearing in July.

According to a news release from the city, “After review of the evidence and testimony from witnesses, including Mr. Curry himself, the hearing officer upheld Maricopa Police Department’s decision to terminate Craig Curry. In accordance with City policy, the City Manager (Rick Horst) was then provided with the hearing officer’s decision, along with the evidence and testimony presented to the hearing officer, to review and issue a final decision.”

Curry’s hearing began July 11 and concluded with a second day of testimony on July 25.

“Horst affirmed the hearing officer’s decision, which, combined with the outcome of the hearing, the city says supports its stance that it provided proper due process to Craig Curry in making the decision to terminate him and his appeal of that decision,” according to the news release.

There were 19 citizen complaints or internal investigations against Curry for incidents occurring from Sept. 28, 2013, to Nov. 7, 2021. Among them:

• Ten use-of-force complaints, including three in just over two months from March to May of 2018.
• Two vehicle collisions, including a disciplinary action for backing his patrol vehicle into a parked Maricopa Fire & Medical Department truck while setting up for a community event at the Villages at Rancho El Dorado clubhouse.
• Three internal investigations.
• An investigation into a vehicle pursuit.

Curry also was involved in a June 26, 2020, incident in which Ike, Curry’s K-9 partner, died after Curry left the 9-year-old Dutch Shepherd in a patrol car for 103 minutes.

Curry was suspended 20 hours without pay in the incident, which was investigated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and reviewed by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, which declined criminal prosecution of Curry.