PHOENIX — The City of Phoenix has proposed a series of reforms intended to address some of the criticisms mentioned in the Department of Justice's scathing report about the city's police department.
On Tuesday, the city council considered a list of proposals intended to enhance accountability and transparency after the DOJ accused Phoenix police of engaging in a pattern of conduct that violated the constitutional rights of residents.
A memo of those proposals includes the following:
- Implementing a hotline for citizens to file complaints against officers
- Prioritize staffing of 911 dispatchers
- Expanding use of body-worn cameras
- Creating an "Inspector Sergeant" position in all precincts to investigate officer misconduct
- The agency's Professional Standards Bureau shall publish clear deadlines for completing investigative reports
- Update policies with community input regarding interactions with young and vulnerable populations
"Our commitment to constitutional policing means we must improve the tools to self-assess and self-correct and put in place measures that are pivotal for high performing government agencies," the city memo states.
Police Chief Michael Sullivan told the council he hopes to have the entire department undergo training on a new use-of-force policy by Jan. 1.
Several citizens spoke during Tuesday's council meeting and some expressed skepticism about the police department being capable of policing and reforming itself.
Other proposals reviewed by the council on Tuesday include adding four new positions within the police department to form a new "Compliance Analyst Team," which would include one police research supervisor and three police research analysts. Records show these positions would cost about $500,000.
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