Comedian Doug Stanhope clarifies confusion about his alleged arrest

Comedian Doug Stanhope sparked concern among fans during a live stream that appeared to show him being arrested. 

However, TMZ has learned that it was all part of a planned role-playing exercise. According to a spokesperson from the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, Stanhope's Arizona home was used for a SWAT team training mission, and he voluntarily participated in the scenario.

The training, which was conducted by the county SWAT team, was initially set to take place without anyone home. However, Stanhope arrived during the final scenario and requested to join as a role-player. The Sheriff's Office confirmed that Stanhope’s involvement was entirely voluntary and part of a pre-coordinated plan.

Historically, community members are not typically involved in SWAT training exercises, making Stanhope’s participation a rare exception. The SWAT team was focused on refining their tactics and procedures during the exercise.

Following the online uproar, Stanhope clarified the situation in a video, explaining that while he had coordinated the training with the Sheriff's Office, the live stream created unintended confusion. He emphasized that he was not arrested or involved in any illegal activity.