El Paso Police officer suspended following excessive force investigation
EL PASO - El Paso Police say one police officer will be suspended after a review board determined the officer violated the department's Use of Force policy.
The incident in question is from August of last year and involved Anna Marie Barnes. She and her attorney previously said an officer beat her in front of her children after a single-vehicle crash on Stanton and Rim Road. The crash was minor and the air bags did not deploy, her attorney, Randall Kallinen, said.
It's unclear how the incident escalated. Barnes released photos of her bruised, bloodshot eyes she said were caused by the officer's assault.
Barnes said she was arrested and suspected of intoxication. Kallinen shared a document from an emergency room doctor who treated Barnes at the time and said she was "clinically sober." Last week, Barnes released a document from the Department of Public Safety restoring her driving privileges as she had "passed breath or blood results."
The investigation into the officer's conduct was handled by EPPD Internal Affairs. Its findings were presented to the department's Disciplinary Review Board made up of 6 civilians and 6 members of the police department, including an officer, a sergeant, a lieutenant and a commander, police spokesman Sgt. Enrique "Kiki" Carrillo said. An assistant police chief chairs the board, but only has voting power if there is a tie. The board sustained the allegation and recommended the suspension.
Police have are not revealing the identity of the officer involved. They're are also not saying how long the suspension will last or whether the officer could face additional punishment.
Sgt. Carrillo told ABC-7 this process is administrative only and the officer has the right to appeal it if he chooses as per collective bargaining agreements. Carrillo said the name is not immediately available as it is considered a personnel matter.
ABC-7 is working to confirm the name independently.
