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Law enforcement agency in Arizona, US From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Phoenix Police Department is the law enforcement agency responsible for the city of Phoenix, Arizona. As of May 2024, the Phoenix Police Department comprises just over 2,500 officers, some 625 below authorized strength of 3,125[3][4] and more than 1,000 support personnel. The department serves a population of more than 1.64 million[2] and patrol almost 516 square miles (1,340 km2)[2] of the fifth largest city in the United States.
Phoenix Police Department | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | PHXPD |
Motto | We will serve, protect and reduce crime in Phoenix while treating everyone with dignity and respect. |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 1881 |
Preceding agency |
|
Annual budget | $731m (2024)[1] |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | Phoenix, Arizona, US |
Map of Phoenix Police Department's jurisdiction | |
Size | 516 sq mi (1,340 km2). |
Population | 1.64 million[2] |
Legal jurisdiction | City of Phoenix |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Officers | Around 2,534[3][4] |
Elected officer responsible | |
Agency executives |
|
Divisions | 6
|
Bureaus | 23
|
Facilities | |
Precincts | 8
|
Airbases | Deer Valley Airport |
Helicopters | 9 |
Airplanes | 3 |
Website | |
phoenix |
Phoenix was incorporated as a city on February 5, 1881. Law enforcement was handled by Phoenix city marshals and later by Phoenix police officers. Henry Garfias, the first city marshal, was elected by residents in 1881 in the first elections of the newly incorporated city. For six years, he served as the primary law enforcement officer.
In the early 1900s, the Phoenix Police Department used Old Nelly, the horse, to pull the patrol wagon for officers. Most patrolling, however, was done on foot. The city at this time was only 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2) with a population of 11,134 people. Call boxes were used to notify an officer that headquarters wanted him. These were supplemented by a system of horns and flashing lights.
The first death of a Phoenix police officer in the line of duty in Phoenix occurred on February 5, 1925.[5] Officer Haze Burch was shot and killed by two brothers on the run from authorities. The men were later arrested when they were found hiding at the Tempe Buttes.[5]
In 1929, patrolmen worked six days a week and were paid $100 a month. The police department moved into the west section of the new city-county building at 17 South 2nd Avenue.[6] The building included jail cells on the top two floors. In 1933, Ruth Meicher joined the police department as the first female jail matron. The city at this time was only 6.4 square miles (17 km2), with a population of 48,200. In the year prior, the first police radio system in Arizona was installed for the department with the call letters KGZJ.[6]
The department reorganized in 1950 with four divisions, Traffic, Detectives, Patrol and Service Divisions.[6] Officers worked 44 hours per week for $288 per month. In 1974, the Air patrol unit was established initially consisting of one helicopter. A few months later, a fixed wing aircraft and two additional helicopters were added.[6]
In 2008, the department formed the Block Watch program, which is a partnership between citizens and the police department to help deter youth from crime. The department also runs a similar program under the name G.A.I.N. which stands for Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods.[7]
Phoenix police officers shot at least 41 people in 2018, the highest number in the department's history and the highest number of any U.S. city that year, killing at least 19 people. Of those shot, demographically, Native Americans were the most over-represented group for their population size, while Hispanics—who comprise 43 percent of the city's population—were shot most often overall.[8][9][10]
In 2018, the city budget allocated funding for 3,125 officers, but as of May 2024, the department had just over 2,500 officers, many of whom are eligible to retire.[11] As of 2024, PPD received 41 percent of funds allocated in the city's general fund budget.[12]
As of 2020, Phoenix has one of the highest rates of police killings in the United States.[13] Civil rights leaders and community activists have argued that the city's police officers are rarely held accountable for using lethal force and making false statements.[13][14]
On August 5, 2021, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an investigation into the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix.[15] In June 2024, the DOJ concluded its investigation, finding that the Phoenix Police Department routinely discriminates against people of color and uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force.[16][17]
The Phoenix Police Department is divided into six divisions: Community and Support Services, Investigations, Management Services, Patrol, Reserve, Strategic and Tactical Services.[38]
On September 12, 2022, Michael Sullivan took over as interim Police Chief of the Phoenix Police Department following the departure of former Chief Jeri Williams.[39] Sullivan began his career in law enforcement with the Louisville Metro Police Department. In 2019, he joined the Baltimore Police Department as Deputy Commissioner. Where he served in the Operations Bureau as well as led BPD's reform efforts and brought the agency into initial compliance with a number of the mandates of its Federal Consent Decree.[40]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2024) |
The Phoenix Police Department Patrol Division is organized into seven precincts:
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
Title | Insignia[failed verification] |
---|---|
Chief of Police | |
Executive Assistant Chief | |
Assistant Chief | |
Commander | |
Lieutenant | |
Sergeant | |
Police Officer | |
The position of Executive Assistant Chief is considered second-in-command of the department. The collar rank insignia is indistinguishable from other Assistant Chiefs. However, the title "Executive Assistant Chief" is inscribed in the title scroll on the top of the breast badge to indicate the position.
After ten years in the rank of Sergeant, employees are authorized to add one rocker to the bottom of the sergeant stripes. After fifteen years in rank, two rockers are authorized and after twenty years in the rank of sergeant, three rockers are authorized to be added to the sergeant stripes. There is no associated elevation in actual rank, and no additional pay, as these extra rockers are optional and only meant to distinguish time in the grade and are not a promotion.
The Phoenix Police Department also uses shoulder patches to denote the positions of Sergeant-in-Training and Field Training Officer, although these are not official supervisory ranks.
Title | Insignia |
---|---|
Sergeant-in-Training | |
Field Training Officer | |
The Phoenix Police Department uses Chevrolet Tahoes for their primary patrol vehicles, and Honda ST1300P Motorcycles, Kawasaki 1000 Motorcycles, and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
The department uses three AgustaWestland A119 helicopters. They also fly five Eurocopter AS350 B3's and an AgustaWestland A109 Power for rescues.
The department also uses a Pilatus PC-12. This aircraft is intended for surveillance, but also serves as a transport.[43] Additionally, the Air Support Unit has three Cessna aircraft; one 1978 182Q, one 1981 172P and a P210R.[44]
Phoenix Police officers are typically armed with a Glock 17 pistol chambered in 9mm. Several other handguns, shotguns, rifles and less than lethal launchers and munitions are also authorized.[45]
To date, 46 police officers and 7 K9's have died in the line of duty.[46]
Officer | End of Watch | Cause of Death |
---|---|---|
Officer Haze Burch | February 5, 1925 |
Gunfire |
Officer David Lee "Star" Johnson | May 2, 1944 |
Gunfire |
Officer Walter H. Stewart | February 19, 1952 |
Vehicular assault |
Officer Dale Crist Stone | December 28, 1970 |
Motorcycle crash |
Officer Albert Raymond Bluhm | December 28, 1970 |
Gunfire |
Officer Clay Quincy Haywood | November 22, 1971 |
Motorcycle crash |
Officer Michael D. Hemschmeyer | November 2, 1973 |
Automobile crash |
Officer Gilbert Richard Chavez | November 2, 1973 |
Gunfire |
Police Guard John Franklin MacInnis | June 16, 1975 |
Heart attack |
Officer Arthur Edward Del Gaudio Jr. | April 22, 1976 |
Vehicle pursuit |
Officer Ignacio Gonzales "Nacho" Conchos | July 1, 1982 |
Gunfire |
Officer John R. Davis Sr. | August 6, 1982 |
Gunfire |
Officer Kenneth E. Campbell | January 29, 1984 |
Vehicle pursuit |
Officer Errol C. Hawkins | April 24, 1984 |
Struck by vehicle |
Officer Robert L. Polmanteer | May 4, 1984 |
Motorcycle crash |
Officer Kevin W. Forsythe | September 7, 1984 |
Struck by vehicle |
Officer John A. Robertson | November 19, 1984 |
Gunfire |
Officer Robert T. Fike | January 8, 1986 |
Gunfire |
Officer Kenneth L. Collings | May 27, 1988 |
Gunfire |
Officer Patrick O. Briggs | June 20, 1990 |
Vehicle pursuit |
Sergeant John Wayne Domblisky | July 26, 1990 |
Vehicular assault |
Sergeant Danny L. Tunney | July 26, 1990 |
Vehicular assault |
Officer Leonard Leon Kolodziej | September 4, 1991 |
Gunfire |
Sergeant David Martin Kieffer | May 21, 1997 |
Vehicular assault |
Officer Marc Todd Atkinson | March 26, 1999 |
Gunfire |
Officer Goelet Alessandro Carlo Beuf | November 1, 1999 |
Assault |
Officer Beryl Wayne Scott Jr. | September 10, 2002 |
Motorcycle crash |
Officer Donald Ralph Schultz | May 12, 2004 |
Drowning |
Officer Jason Alan Wolfe | August 28, 2004 |
Gunfire |
Officer Eric James White | August 28, 2004 |
Gunfire |
Officer David Christopher Uribe | May 10, 2005 |
Gunfire |
Officer Paul Robert Salmon | November 29, 2005 |
Automobile crash |
Officer George Valentino Cortez Jr. | July 27, 2007 |
Gunfire |
Officer Nicki James "Nick" Erfle | September 18, 2007 |
Gunfire |
Officer Shane Cory Figueroa | October 25, 2008 |
Vehicular assault |
Officer Travis Paul Murphy | May 26, 2010 |
Gunfire |
Officer Daryl Michael Raetz | May 19, 2013 |
Struck by vehicle |
Detective John Thomas Hobbs | March 3, 2014 |
Gunfire |
Officer David Van Glasser | May 19, 2016 |
Gunfire |
Officer Paul Thomas Rutherford | March 21, 2019 |
Struck by vehicle |
Commander Greg Scott Carnicle | March 29, 2020 |
Gunfire |
Officer Ginarro Allen New | May 31, 2021 |
Vehicular assault |
Officer Mathew Aaron Hefter | August 7, 2021 |
COVID19 |
Sergeant Thomas Crawford Craig | September 3, 2021 |
COVID19 |
Officer Phillip James Vavrinec Jr. | September 22, 2021 |
COVID19 |
Officer Zane Coolidge | September 6, 2024 |
Gunfire |
K9 Officer | End of Watch | Cause of Death |
---|---|---|
K9 Roscoe | July 13, 1984 |
Struck by vehicle |
K9 Yeager | January 1, 1986 |
Fall |
K9 Dax | October 20, 1994 |
Gunfire |
K9 Hunter | April 17, 1996 |
Gunfire |
K9 R.J. | August 13, 2005 |
Vehicular assault |
K9 Top | March 13, 2007 |
Heatstroke |
K9 Bane | April 17, 2018 |
Unidentified |
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