A former Tucson police officer who resigned in the wake of a scandal involving a long-running prostitution ring will keep his state certification for police work, officials said.
Nathaniel Luttrell, 34, was fired from the Tucson Police Department in July 2015, but entered into a settlement agreement with the city of Tucson to change his status to “resigned in lieu of termination,” according to Arizona Daily Star archives.
In March 2016, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted to initiate proceedings to take his peace-officer certification, which would bar him from police work in the state, according to AZPOST documents.
In September, the board rejected a consent agreement for a one-year suspension on his certification and one of the members requested the board reconsider its initial decision to initiate proceedings, the documents show.
In February, the state asked AZPOST to reconsider the action and close the issue with no action at a future agency’s discretion, according to the documents.
In Wednesday’s meeting, the board accepted the motion and closed the matter, said Sandy Sierra, an AZPOST spokeswoman.
filing against former detective
The board also voted to initiate proceedings against former Tucson police Detective Rudy Rodriguez, 36, who was fired last August for failing to conduct thorough investigations and submitting inaccurate paperwork, AZPOST documents show.
Two of the cases involved alleged child abuse, and Rodriguez, a 13-year veteran of the department, admitted to police investigators that his false statement in one of the cases could make it more difficult to prosecute.
A formal complaint will be mailed to Rodriguez, who will have the opportunity for an AZPOST hearing, Sierra said.
