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Police Officer Who Arrested Arizona State Professor Resigns

TEMPE, Ariz. — An Arizona State University police officer accused of wrongful arrest and excessive force by a professor has resigned.

Stewart Ferrin resigned Monday, the university said. The school had started termination proceedings against Ferrin last month. Those proceedings included a review of his on-duty performance over the past four years.

The university found that he did not act according to the professional standards of ASU.

The termination proceedings cited several disciplinary concerns and said his “actions demonstrated a lack of sound judgment.” They include off-duty traffic stops in which he was told he is not required to act; being told to focus less on traffic enforcement and more on other crimes; and that he can get his point across “without completely ruining someone.”

Ferrin was coached about “using discretion, good judgment and better communication with the public” days before the incident with professor Ersula Ore, the review said.

A police dashcam video of Ore’s May 20 arrest was widely circulated. Ore, who was arrested after she refused to show identification, has filed a $2 million claim against the school.

The assistant professor of English at ASU reportedly kicked Ferrin in the shin after he stopped her for jaywalking in the middle of a street near campus. She pleaded guilty last year to one count of resisting arrest.

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