Arizona police commander resigns after stealing drugs from evidence locker

 

A Prescott Valley, Arizona police commander resigned earlier this month amid allegations that he stole drugs from a police evidence locker.

Arthur Askew, a 20-year veteran of the department, resigned on Jan. 2, the same day he was placed on administrative leave with pay.

His one-line resignation letter to the police chief read, "I am tendering my resignation from the Prescott Valley Police Department effective immediately."

Askew was under investigation in the theft of prescription drugs from the department's evidence room, according to Sgt. Scott Stebbins, a spokesman with the department. The drugs had been voluntarily surrendered by people who wanted them safely destroyed, and they were stored in a special vault.

In November, department personnel noticed that drugs were missing from the vault, which prompted Chief Bryan Jarrell to install a motion-activated still camera and a hidden surveillance camera in the drug vault.
Police say Askew was photographed removing prescription drugs from the discard box on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31. He was immediately informed that he was under investigation and placed on administrative leave. Instead, he chose to resign.

Jarrell asked the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office to conduct a review of the incident. The results of the investigation were submitted to the Mohave County Attorney's Office on Jan. 16.

Stebbins said the police department also conducted an internal audit of the drug evidence vault following the incident and inspected more than 3,400 items.

The audit revealed that no criminal cases involving drugs or narcotics were compromised, he said.

Stebbins said Askew has cooperated fully throughout the course of the investigation.

"The tragedy of this incident is that a good, honest, decent person became another victim to the power and control of addiction," according to a press release issued by the department. "It illustrates the fact that addiction makes people do things they never would have done otherwise."

Askew celebrated 20 years with the department in 2014 and was honored at a Prescott Valley City Council meeting in August, according to the Prescott Valley Tribune.

He's credited with helping develop the department's SWAT and canine units and was promoted to commander in 2011.