Alabama Police Sergeant Sentenced On Federal Charges For Using Excessive Force

By DOJ News Photos: Mugshot\Video\YouTube Screenshots A former Alabama sergeant was sentenced today to 16 months in prison and two years of supervised release for assaulting an arrestee. Ryan Phillips, 42, a former sergeant with the Daleville, Alabama, Police Department (DPD), previously pleaded guilty to one count of depriving an arrestee of his civil rights. During his plea, Phillips admitted that, in March 2022, after a verbal dispute, he willfully used unreasonable force against an arrestee after he removed his badge and firearm, entered the victim’s jail cell and struck the victim in the upper body and face multiple times. Phillips further admitted that he had no legitimate law enforcement purpose for engaging in this conduct, and the victim suffered bodily injury including multiple lacerations and bruises to the face and chest. “People being held under arrest have the right to be treated humanely and not to be violently assaulted behind bars,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant disregarded his oath to protect and serve his community, abused his power and violated the victim’s civil rights when he entered that jail cell and repeatedly hit the victim. This sentence should serve...