Arizona State University police chief who was put on administrative leave to retire

PHOENIX – Arizona State University Police Chief Michael Thompson is retiring, nearly three months after being put on paid administrative leave for his actions during a pro-Palestinian protest.

Thompson’s 10-year run run as the chief of the ASU Police Department will conclude on Aug. 24.

“The university community appreciates his years of dedicated service to ASU and wishes him well,” an ASU spokesperson said.

In May, the university put Thompson on leave while it investigated complaints made against him during pro-Palestinian protests on campus on April 26.

Thompson, who was wearing business casual clothes, was accused of cutting and removing tents, along with slapping a phone out of someone’s hand who was recording him.

After the protests, 72 people were arrested, 20 of them being enrolled students who were placed on an interim suspension.

ABC15 also went through our video footage and found this clip.

ASU’s police chief is in the yellow polo shirt.

You can see him approach a tent, then you see his hand motion and a hole appear to open up in the side of this tent. @DaveBiscobing15 https://t.co/3yzzqIsTM2 pic.twitter.com/p7vWr8c98H

— Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) April 27, 2024

Before becoming chief in 2014, Thompson worked over 20 years with the Mesa Police Department and joined the ASU police in 2008.

The university named Assistant Chief John Thompson the acting chief during the investigation but has not said if they are looking to find a replacement.