BULL SHOALS, Ark. (AP) - A north Arkansas police chief arrested on federal charges of using excessive force is free from jail - as long as he lives with the town’s mayor, a federal magistrate has ordered.
U.S. Magistrate James Marschewski on Wednesday released Dan Sutterfield, 35, into the custody of the town’s mayor, Bruce Powell. The FBI arrested Sutterfield Monday on charges of using excessive force and falsifying a report in the July 2013 arrest of Nicholas Dore.
Powell told The Baxter Bulletin (https://bit.ly/1oSKuEY ) that Sutterfield is allowed to visit his wife and children but he must spend each night at the mayor’s house.
Sutterfield has declined to comment since the U.S. Department of Justice announced his arrest Monday. A two-count criminal complaint alleged Sutterfield repeatedly kicked and used a stun gun on Dore and later tried to falsify the arrest’s events in a police report.
Part of Sutterfield’s conditions of release is that he be employed. The mayor said Thursday that Sutterfield remains the town’s police chief but has a limited role because he is not allowed to carry a weapon.
“He’ll make schedules and things like that. If someone comes in with a complaint that doesn’t require him to go to a residence, he can take that information,” Powell said. “It wouldn’t make any sense to let him go out, because he isn’t even armed. He has a car, (but) we took all the weapons out of the car.”
The mayor said he remains fully confident in Sutterfield despite the arrest.
“My opinion of the chief is very, very high,” Powell said. “From everyone that is working here, I’ve heard nothing derogatory. I understand he’s received many, many positive comments, text messages and Twitter, all encouraging him from all over the state from people he’s worked with before.”
But city council member Marty Nickels said he was troubled to learn of the latest developments, including the fact that Sutterfield is living with the mayor and working again at the police department.
“It definitely concerns me,” Nickels said. “As a council member, we’re not involved in the day-to-day operations of the city. As a council member, I didn’t know all this stuff was happening. I’m getting my information from The Bulletin.”
He added that Sutterfield had done a good job as chief and he believes Sutterfield is innocent until proven guilty.
Sutterfield is next due in court May 6.
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Information from: The Baxter Bulletin, https://www.baxterbulletin.com
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