A Denver Police Department officer has been punished after using a Taser on an uncooperative, but non-threatening homeless man who was camping in Cheesman Park.

Officer Keith A. Graves was suspended for four days for using inappropriate force, according to his Dec. 29 disciplinary letter obtained by The Denver Post. Graves has worked at the department since 2000.

On June 28, Graves was flagged down by someone complaining about illegal camping in the park, and he found a man and a woman camping, the letter said.

Grave first told the couple he was going to give them a warning. The woman willingly gave her name but the man refused.

The man eventually gave Graves his name, and Graves found the man was wanted in Fort Collins for obstructing a police officer, the disciplinary letter said.

“The suspect was holding a water bottle and disobeyed several commands to drop the water bottle and to place his hands on his head,” the letter said. “The suspect did not at any time pose a threat to Officer Graves or to anyone else.”

Still, Graves told the suspect he would use his Taser if he did not place his hands on his head. The suspect dropped the water bottle. But he didn’t put his hands on his head.

Graves deployed his Taser, hitting the man on his right side, the letter said. The man was taken into custody and did not suffer any injuries, it said.

“Officer Graves had other options that did not require the use of the Taser,” the letter said.

Graves violated the department’s use-of-force policy by failing to use only what was reasonable or necessary to get the man into custody, the letter said.

Graves took responsibility for his conduct, the letter said.

The department is re-writing it use-of-force policy to bring it in line with more progressive policing standards. The department is inviting public comment and will hold three meetings to discuss it.