HARRISON, Ark. (AP) - A northern Arkansas police chief was arraigned on federal charges Tuesday after being accused of using excessive force in the arrest of a Bull Shoals resident and falsifying a report on the incident.
The U.S. Justice Department said Bull Shoals Police Chief Daniel Sutterfield was arraigned in federal district court in Harrison on charges of deprivation of rights and falsifying a report.
A two-count criminal complaint alleges Sutterfield repeatedly kicked and used a stun gun on Bull Shoals resident Nicholas Dore in July 2013 and later tried to falsify the arrest’s events in a police report.
Sutterfield couldn’t be reached for comment, and authorities didn’t know if he had an attorney. He didn’t enter a plea.
According to an affidavit, police arrived at Dore’s residence after his live-in girlfriend accused him of grabbing her around the neck and hitting her in the face. It states Sutterfield and other officers forced their entry into Dore’s residence after Dore refused to come out of the home and let officers in.
The affidavit states police tried to handcuff Dore, but were unsuccessful. Sutterfield used a taser on Dore twice, and Dore was later handcuffed.
After he was restrained, the affidavit states Sutterfield kicked and used the butt of his shotgun to strike Dore repeatedly. Sutterfield also used a stun gun on Dore several times as well after Dore was handcuffed, according to the affidavit.
Officials allege in the affidavit that Sutterfield also sat with the officer who wrote the department’s report of the arrest and told him what to write. The affidavit states the police report made no mention of Sutterfield kicking Dore.
Sutterfield faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on both counts.
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