The Civil Service Commission has voted to uphold the dismissal of a Tucson police detective who was fired for failing to properly investigate three cases that were later declined for prosecution, documents show.
In an Oct. 5 meeting, the panel decided that former Detective Rudy Rodriguez should have known his actions could lead to disciplinary actions, according to the meeting minutes, which were obtained through a public-records request.
In April 2016, a sergeant discovered three case summaries filed by Rodriguez relating to investigations that he said were closed after the Pima County Attorneyâs Office declined to prosecute, the documents show.
When the sergeant contacted the county attorney handling the case, the attorney said that the cases hadnât been formally declined because he hadnât yet reviewed them.
On further inspection, the sergeant learned another of the cases also hadnât been declined because requests had been made for follow-up investigations, according to the documents.
A police internal investigation into the incidents made it apparent the three cases hadnât been investigated âproperly or thoroughlyâ by Rodriguez.
In two of the cases, Rodriguez never conducted an in-person interview with the suspects and didnât file all of the necessary evidence with the report, the documents show.
In one of the cases, involving a potential case of child abuse, Rodriguez never asked the suspect how the child was injured and told the man âhe believed the case would be declined and the information from the interview would be for documentation purposes only.â
Rodriguez told investigators he filed closing supplements without all of the information because he was âoverzealousâ in trying to close cases, because of âpressure to try and clear up case managementâ on top of clearing old cases and investigating new deaths, the documents show.
Rodriguez was fired Aug. 1 for violating general orders, on-duty conduct standards, general responsibilities and untruthfulness.
The Civil Service Commission panel heard testimony from five Tucson police employees, including Chief Chris Magnus, and looked at multiple pieces of evidence.
The board eventually voted 2-1 to reject Rodriguezâs appeal and uphold the firing. The passing motion included a provision that the charge made of dishonesty made against him wasnât supported.
The Arizona Peace Officers Standard and Training Board, the state agency that oversees peace officer certification, received notice of Rodriguezâs termination and is reviewing the case, said spokeswoman Sandy Sierra.
His case will be heard in upcoming months to decide if the board wants to pursue action to sanction or revoke his state certification for police work.
