A Denver police officer who received a 10-day, unpaid
suspension for arresting a man who refused to pass through a security
checkpoint at police headquarters has appealed that discipline.
Manager of Safety Alex Martinez said Officer Ryan Burke, a
14-year veteran, "exercised extremely poor judgment" on April 8 when
he arrested Faithon Lucas, who had come to the building on Cherokee Street to
arrange for off-duty security with a detective. When Lucas repeatedly refused
to pass through a metal detector, Burke approached him and told him to leave,
according to Martinez's discipline order, signed Aug. 12.
Instead, Lucas began to empty his pockets into boxes in
order to pass through the checkpoint. But Burke insisted he leave. When Lucas
again refused, Burke grabbed him to put him in handcuffs, he resisted and
"a struggle ensued," Martinez wrote. Several people in the lobby
watched as Burke eventually handcuffed Lucas and took him into custody.
