Phoenix Police Contact Offenses Criminal Defense Lawyer

What Are Police Contact Offenses in Arizona?

Police contact offenses are crimes that occur during an encounter with law enforcement, whether that’s at a traffic stop, on the street, during an investigation, or after an arrest.

These offenses often fall under Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) Title 13, and may range from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Many carry enhanced penalties when the alleged victim is a police officer or other “protected” public servant.

Common police contact offenses in Arizona include:

• Aggravated Assault on an Officer
• Resisting Arrest
• Failure to Comply with a Lawful Order
• Failure to Identify
• False Statement
• Criminal Damage (e.g., damaging police property)
• Hindering Prosecution
• Interfering with a Crime Scene
• Trespassing

Offense	Arizona Statute (A.R.S.)	Classification	Possible Penalties*
Aggravated Assault on an Officer	§ 13-1204(A)(8)	Class 5 Felony (may be Class 4 if injury caused)	0.5 to 2.5 years prison for first offense; up to 15 years with priors; mandatory prison if “dangerous”
Resisting Arrest	§ 13-2508	Class 6 Felony (if actively resisting thru force) / Class 1 Misdemeanor (passive resistance)	Felony: 4 months to 2 years prison; Misdemeanor: up to 6 months jail
Failure to Comply with a Lawful Order	§ 28-622(A)	Class 2 Misdemeanor	Up to 4 months jail and $750 fine
Failure to Identify	§ 13-2412	Class 2 Misdemeanor	Up to 4 months jail and $750 fine
False Statement to Law Enforcement	§ 13-2907.01	Class 1 Misdemeanor	Up to 6 months jail and $2,500 fine
Criminal Damage (Interfering with Police Equipment or Facilities)	§ 13-1602	Class 2 Misdemeanor to Class 4 Felony (depending on value/damage)	Misdemeanor: up to 4 months jail; Felony: 1 to 3.75 years prison for first offense
Hindering Prosecution	§ 13-2510–2512	Class 5 or Class 6 Felony (depending on underlying crime)	Class 5: 0.5 to 2.5 years prison; Class 6: 4 months to 2 years prison
Interfering with a Crime Scene	§ 13-2409	Class 5 Felony	0.5 to 2.5 years prison for first offense
Trespassing (Restricted Police Areas)	§ 13-1502 to § 13-1504	Class 3 Misdemeanor to Class 5 Felony (depending on circumstances)	Misdemeanor: up to 30 days jail; Felony: 0.5 to 2.5 years prison

* Penalty ranges are for first-time offenders; repeat offenders or “dangerous” designations can greatly increase prison terms.

How Seriously Are Police Contact Offenses Treated?

Arizona prosecutors — especially in Maricopa County — pursue these charges aggressively, often citing the need to protect public safety and maintain order.

A conviction can result in:

• Felony prison time (especially for assaulting an officer or interfering in a violent felony investigation)
• Mandatory fines
• Loss of civil rights (for felony convictions)
• Permanent criminal record affecting jobs, housing, and licensing

Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer – What You Should Know

Statute: A.R.S. § 13-1204(A)(8)

You can be charged if you:

• Cause injury to an officer while they’re performing official duties
• Use a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against an officer
• Commit an assault knowing the victim is a peace officer

Classification: Usually a Class 4 “dangerous” felony if a weapon is involved or serious injury occurs — meaning mandatory prison.

Case Insight: Arizona law requires proof that the accused knew—or had reason to know—the victim was a peace officer for charges under § 13-1204(A)(8)(a). See State v. Pledger, 236 Ariz. 469 (App. 2015); cf. § 13-1204(E) (contrasts with no knowledge requirement for the deadly-weapon enhancement).

Hypothetical:

You’re being detained at a protest. You try to pull away and, in the struggle, an officer trips and injures their knee. Even without intending harm, prosecutors might file aggravated assault charges charging you with “recklessly causing physical injury”.

Resisting Arrest – When Does It Cross the Line?

Statute: A.R.S. § 13-2508

This offense involves intentionally preventing or attempting to prevent an arrest by:

• Using physical force to resist arrest
• Using “passive resistance” (e.g., going limp or tensing up to avoid being handcuffed)

Classification:

• Class 6 felony if force is used
• Class 1 misdemeanor if only passive resistance

Defense Strategy: In many cases, body-worn camera footage is key — we have successfully argued that our clients were merely “pulling away reflexively” rather than resisting. Often times, officer will exert more force than necessary which can make any alleged “resistance” involuntary .

Failure to Comply with a Lawful Order

Statute: A.R.S. § 28-622 (often used in traffic stops)

Failing to follow a lawful order from an officer directing traffic or managing an emergency scene can result in misdemeanor charges.

Hypothetical:

An officer tells you to move your car during an accident investigation, and you refuse because you feel it’s unfair. This could lead to charges even if you committed no other offense.

Failure to Identify & Providing False Information

Statutes:

• Failure to provide truthful identifying information: A.R.S. § 13-2412
• False reporting to law enforcement: A.R.S. § 13-2907.01

Giving a fake name, false date of birth, or incorrect information during a lawful stop can quickly escalate a situation — and lead to criminal charges.

Note: An individual must first be “lawfully detained“. If you weren’t lawfully detained to begin with, bad stop or the police had no reason to restrict your freedom in the first place, you don’t have a requirement to identify yourself.

Arizona’s refusal-to-identify law (§ 13-2412) applies only after a lawful Terry stop—no lawful detention, no crime for refusing to give your name. See § 13-2412(A); cf. U.S. v. Landeros, 913 F.3d at 868–69 (9th Cir. 2019).

Criminal Damage to Police Property

Statute: A.R.S. § 13-1602

Damaging a police vehicle, uniform, body cam, or other property — even unintentionally during a struggle — can result in misdemeanor or felony charges depending on the dollar value of the damage.

Hindering Prosecution & Interfering with a Crime Scene

Statutes:

• Hindering prosecution: A.R.S. §§ 13-2510 to 13-2512
• Tampering with evidence or interfering: A.R.S. § 13-2809

Helping someone avoid arrest, lying to investigators, or disturbing evidence can lead to felony charges — even if you weren’t present during the original crime.

Example: Your friend or family member is getting detained or arrested — you get in between officers, now you are charged with hindering prosecution.

Trespassing During Police Activity

Statutes: A.R.S. §§ 13-1502 to 13-1504

Remaining in or entering an area after being told to leave during police operations can result in criminal trespass charges.

Defending Against Police Contact Charges in Arizona

At Arizona Justice Law Group, Zalman Sapad uses three key strategies:

1. Challenging the Officer’s Conduct
   • Was the “lawful order” actually lawful?
   • Did the officer have legal grounds for the stop or detention?
2. Using Body Cam & Surveillance Footage
   • We often obtain additional footage that tells a different story than the police report.
3. Negotiating Charge Reductions
   • Reducing aggravated assault on an officer to simple assault
   • Removing “dangerous” designations to make probation possible

Why Early Legal Intervention Matters

Police contact offenses often start with small misunderstandings and spiral into felonies because of how the police report is written. The sooner we can get involved:

• The sooner we can preserve favorable evidence
• The sooner we can contact prosecutors before formal charges
• The better our odds at getting charges reduced or dismissed

Charged After a Police Encounter? We Can Help.

Zalman Sapad and the Arizona Justice Law Group have defended clients in Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima Counties against the full range of police contact offenses. We know how local prosecutors, police departments, and judges handle these cases — and how to build defenses that work in Arizona courts.

📞 Call (602) 730-1756

📧 ArizonaJusticeLawyer@gmail.com

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