PHOENIX — Local law enforcement agencies are navigating this stretch of hot weather just like everyone else in the Valley.
“Nothing stops,” Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez, a spokesperson for Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, said. “If a call comes in, they’re still going to respond.”
Enriquez told 12News he’s watched some people’s behavior change as the temperature rises.
“The heat can get to you,” Enriquez said. “People have less patience on the road or just in general.”
The heat causing some people to feel irritable or aggressive is a real condition.
Dr. Andrew Carroll said it’s common for people to develop a seasonal mood disorder in the summer.
“There’s always the risk that they might be suicidal or even homicidal,” Carroll said.
Enriquez said the Maricopa County Jail fills up this time of year.
“We have a higher capacity in the jail, but again, that’s everybody in Maricopa County,” Enriquez said.
Enriquez said many inmates were arrested from police departments across the Valley.
He told 12News MCSO data shows their requests for service calls increase in February, March, and April.
Enriquez said those numbers are likely due to more people, like snowbirds, living in the state when it’s cool.
“That plays a huge part in maybe calls for service or crimes of opportunity,” Enriquez said.
He said the heat won’t keep officers and deputies from responding to calls, but it can change how they respond.
If an incident requires personnel to be outside for long periods of time, they bring in back up resources and extra water.
Heat Beat
Here are several videos about Arizona's extreme heat and how you can stay safe during the state's summer months.