David Ellison, a former Buckeye police school resource officer, is under the microscope with Arizona regulators after an October 2024 incident in which he allegedly choked and punched his 15-year-old son. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted this month to open a probe that could strip him of his peace-officer certification. Ellison resigned from the Buckeye Police Department after an internal review and later entered a no-contest plea to a reduced disorderly-conduct charge in municipal court.
State board opens probe
At its March meeting, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board voted unanimously to launch an investigation into Ellison's conduct after board staff laid out the October 2024 encounter. According to Phoenix New Times, a compliance specialist summarized the episode, and board members authorized a formal inquiry that could lead to discipline for certified officers. The vote effectively moves the matter out of local internal review and into a state-level administrative process.
How the October 2024 call unfolded
On the night of Oct. 28, 2024, Goodyear police say a juvenile dialed 911 to report a physical assault before the call abruptly disconnected. When officers went back to the home, they found the teenager bleeding from his nose and mouth, local media reported. Court records and police statements indicate Ellison had been drinking, became enraged after his son dented his truck, allegedly choked and punched the teen, and threatened to kill him, according to Arizona's Family (KOLD). Goodyear police arrested Ellison on misdemeanor assault and disorderly-conduct counts, and Buckeye placed him on administrative leave while it investigated.
Internal findings and court outcome
Buckeye's internal review later concluded Ellison had violated eight department policies. The department called the allegations troubling, and Ellison resigned before any discipline could be imposed. As reported by Phoenix New Times, Ellison ultimately pleaded no contest in Goodyear Municipal Court to a non-domestic disorderly-conduct offense, which resolved the criminal case without a domestic-violence conviction. Those developments led AZPOST staff to recommend a formal investigation that could result in suspension or decertification of his peace-officer credentials.
What the state probe could mean
The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board oversees certification for sworn officers and can suspend or revoke an officer's credentials, which would bar that person from working as a sworn peace officer in Arizona. The board publishes agendas, minutes, and disciplinary actions and typically opens investigations after internal reviews or criminal cases surface. The March vote fits that pattern. More detail on the process is available on the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board site, including agency rules and past decisions.
School and community fallout
Ellison had spent more than a decade as a school resource officer at Verrado High School, which made the allegations land especially hard with parents and administrators. The Agua Fria Union High School District was notified, and Buckeye assigned another officer to cover SRO duties while investigations continued, according to local reporting. KJZZ noted that Ellison had previously been honored by the district.
Next steps
AZPOST's investigation is an administrative process that could take weeks or months. If the board finds violations, it can seek sanctions up to full decertification. Buckeye police said they cooperated with Goodyear investigators and that the criminal case was resolved in municipal court, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. For now, the state probe is the main unresolved piece, and upcoming board meetings or posted minutes will show whether regulators decide to pursue licensing action against Ellison.
