QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — Queen Creek is two months away from the start of a new police force patrolling the street of the rapidly growing town.
“One of the exciting parts of starting a brand-new police department is you are not fighting against a culture that’s already there," said Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice. "You get to set the culture.”
The town's council approved the new department in March 2020, just before the world would forever change as Covid-19 began to spread.
“If you could pick all the things to make it difficult to make a police department, we had two big ones," Brice said. "The middle of a pandemic and the national conversation about policing."
As law enforcement agencies struggle with staffing and recruitment, the Queen Creek Police Department is nearly fully staffed.
The department will consist of 64 sworn officers including nine sergeants and three lieutenants. Brice said roughly 75% of the workforce are from other in-state agencies and 25% are out of state.
Salaries are competitive for each position in Queen Creek.
- Lieutenant: $112,522 - $130,258 (lateral rates based on years of service, experience, training, education, etc.)
- Sergeant: $86,724 – $107,163 (lateral rates based on years of service, experience, training, education, etc.)
- Officer: $58,698 - $82,594 (lateral rates based on years of service)
A different approach to policing
Brice has served in law enforcement for nearly 30 years and comes from a family of public service. His legacy influences his tone for the department. The department's mission is built on community feedback and the values of accountability, connection and trust.
"We really focused on how to address all of the national conversations that have been having," he said. "Our de-escalation training, our defensive tactics, how we interact with people, ethics and bias in training."
Brice says every officer will wear body-worn video and will receive de-escalation training. Officers are expected to complete between 400 and 500 hours of training prior to the first day of patrolling.
What goes into building a new police department?
The Town Council anticipated it would take 18 months to fully develop the new department and completed a full study and 60-day community outreach.
Until January 11, 2022, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office will respond to calls.
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