PHOENIX — As the United States Department of Justice launches its investigation into the Phoenix Police Department and City of Phoenix, community activists are encouraging the department to take action on its own.
The DOJ announced Thursday that it was opening its investigation, making Phoenix the third city to face such a probe under the Biden administration following Minneapolis and Louisville.
"Fire other people in the organization"
On Friday, activists who have been protesting and demanding change within the police department gathered at the Cesar Chavez Plaza to share their thoughts.
“All of our organizations are here today to say we are happy and welcome a Department of Justice investigation," said Kenneth Smith of The Unity Collective. "We want firings, we want reform, but not reform. We want to dismantle the entire system and rebuild it."
As the community members welcomed the DOJ investigation, they also criticized local leaders for not doing more prior to this federal announcement.
RELATED: Here's a timeline of Phoenix police cases that may be investigated by the Department of Justice
“One of the funniest things about this is Kate Gallego saying that she’s happy to see DOJ show up. She could’ve called six years ago for a DOJ review when she was a council member," said JJ Westgate, president of the Black Phoenix Institute.
Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher, who is retiring in the fall, was also called out.
"Do not let Ed Zuercher have a self-congratulatory victory lap for the next six months as he's leaving," Westgate said. "Hold him accountable."
Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams was criticized for not doing more for the community.
"Chief Jeri Williams, you are a Black woman that is the chief of police for the Phoenix PD. But when I saw your press conference, there were six white men sitting behind you that have been in those seats for 25 to 30 years. They should not be your counsel. We should be your counsel!" Smith said.
"Fire other people in the organization to show that you're with the community in which you serve. And if you’re not for the community get out of the way and find somebody’s who about the community to do it."
"A justice department inquiry doesn’t mean a police department is bad"
Former Phoenix Police assistant chief Kevin Robinson shared his thoughts on the DOJ investigation.
"A justice department inquiry doesn’t mean a police department is bad," Robinson said. “And I know some people aren’t going to agree with that. What it means is that enough things have happened that the justice department feels it’s necessary to do a deep dive into everything that it does.”
As the DOJ investigation gets underway, this group of activists is thankful they never stopped speaking out.
They acknowledged that the DOJ's investigation can take well over a year but believe the police department and city don't need to wait until then to make changes.
“Community is one of the strongest weapons that we have," said Jacob Raiford of the W.E. Rising Project
Chief Williams said she welcomes the investigation and looks forward to seeing what the department is doing well as well as where they can improve.
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