PHOENIX — Phoenix City Councilman Carlos Garcia tells 12 News he plans to meet with representatives of the police union who recently slammed him on social media.
“We are setting up a meeting and I’m open to it in the next couple of weeks,” Garcia said.
In a recent Facebook post, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, or PLEA, criticized Garcia for his work as a community activist with Puente. The post showed Garcia being arrested at an anti-SB 1070 rally. It also showed a photo of Garcia wearing an “End Police Brutality” T-shirt at a council meeting.
“Does anybody believe he has the best interests of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day?” the post stated. PLEA also “liked” a comment that seemed to joke that Garcia was being paid “by cartels.”
“For my entire time as a community organizer, I was used to these kinds of attacks,” Garcia said Thursday. “It bothers me that people assume certain things and I hope that they listen to what we're saying."
After his swearing-in ceremony last month as the council’s newest member, Garcia vaulted himself into a new role in the community.
This husband and father of two studied history at Arizona State University and had plans to become a teacher. But he was drawn to community organizing instead and has been a prominent figure over the years in movements supporting immigrant rights.
Garcia's T-shirt also bothered some city residents attending a public forum this week regarding police accountability.
"If you want to protest, do it on your own time. When I look at you, you don't represent me like you're supposed to represent everyone,” said one community member who spoke during a public comment session.
Garcia said he believes he can retain both roles of activist and councilmember.
"I'm proud of the T-shirt I wore to the council. I think the only statement it says is to end police brutality and if anyone is against any police brutality I’m not going to listen to them anyways," he said.
Garcia said he believes the majority of police have good intentions but that officers do not hold each other accountable enough. On Tuesday, the council voted to pursue a system that will use data to identify officers who are at risk of violations. The council is also considering more oversight of use-of-force cases.
12 News contacted PLEA Thursday about the potential for a meeting between the organization and Garcia. PLEA has not yet responded to 12 News as of Thursday evening.