PHOENIX — Phoenix Pride announced on Wednesday that it would make a series of changes involving law enforcement presence at its rescheduled events in November.
The organization announced the series of "sweeping changes" in solidarity with LGBTQ, Black and Indigenous people.
Under the new changes, police and other law enforcement agencies will no longer be able to participate in the Phoenix Pride Parade or have booths or displays at the Phoenix Pride Festival.
Individual police or law enforcement officers who want to participate in the parade can do so as private individuals, without badges, firearms, non-lethal weapons or any other identifying gear or equipment.
Police vehicles will also not be included in the parade and only unarmed, non-uniformed Phoenix police officers will be asked to manage street closures and traffic restrictions around the Phoenix Pride Parade.
Phoenix Pride is also committing to use the minimum mandated number of hand-selected off-duty officers to be present at the Phoenix Pride Festival.
“This was made with a lot of time and a lot of energy in working with community partners at all levels,” said Jeremy Helfgot, a spokesperson for Phoenix Pride.
The Phoenix Police Department is taking these new policies in stride, saying they respect the group’s decision.
“We are completely aware of the statement, but we will continue to provide professional service to them.” Phoenix police spokeswoman Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said. “I think we work so hard and try to do so much with our community, and Pride Festival is one of them.”
Fortune said that even though the department respects Phoenix Pride’s decision, there are some parts of the policy that police will not be able to honor.
“We have to be able to do our job. For us to do our job safely we have to have the tools that we need and that includes our vehicles, our uniform and our officer duty belt," Fortune said.
For now, the department expects to provide law enforcement duties at the event in November in full uniform.
Taking part in the Pride Festival was something that the department looked forward to every year.
“It’s huge for us,” Fortune said.
“I think we have a lot of our employees that are part of that community. It’s important for us to understand that. Again, it’s just the diversity of who we are and we’re happy to be a part of that group and part of that community and part of those conversations and showing those really strong relationships.”
Despite the new policies, there was one common theme both Pride and police agreed on:
“Of course the safety of the public, the safety of our guest, the safety of our staff, our volunteers, our performers, everyone connected with the Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade is paramount and we will see to it, as always, that safety is the primary concern,” Helfgot said.
Fortune echoes those sentiments.
“We will definitely make sure that everybody is safe. Protecting human life is what we are going to be focused on. Responding to criminal activity is what we are going to be focusing on as well.”
Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade is scheduled to take place Nov. 7 and 8 at Steele Indian School Park.
The hours will be from noon to 9 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
The parade will be held in Phoenix.
It will begin on Sunday at 10 a.m. at Third Street and Thomas Road and will continue northbound up Third Street to Indian School Road.
