2016 Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 38 - Public Officers and Employees
§ 38-1105 Law enforcement officer as witness; right to representation; exception

38-1105. Law enforcement officer as witness; right to representation; exception

A. If a law enforcement officer is designated as a witness by the law enforcement officer's employer in an investigation that could lead to another law enforcement officer's dismissal, demotion or suspension, the witness law enforcement officer may request to have a representative present at no cost to the employer during the witness interview. Unless agreed to by the employer, the representative shall be from the same agency and shall not be an attorney except that if a representative from the same agency is not reasonably available, with the employer's permission, the witness law enforcement officer's representative may be from the witness law enforcement officer's professional membership organization.

B. The witness law enforcement officer shall answer all questions asked by the law enforcement officer's department investigator, and information learned during a witness interview is considered proprietary and confidential by the employer and shall remain so until the witness law enforcement officer is served with a notice of investigation by the employer or the witness law enforcement officer is released from the confidentiality requirements of this section.

C. The witness law enforcement officer may discuss the law enforcement officer's witness interview with the witness law enforcement officer's representative or that representative's legal counsel. If the witness law enforcement officer or the witness law enforcement officer's representative releases information without authorization, the employer may subject the witness law enforcement officer or the witness law enforcement officer's representative to disciplinary action.

D. This section does not apply to a law enforcement officer who is employed by an agency of this state as an at will employee.