Phoenix police problems are too big to solve without federal oversight

Mounting evidence shows that Phoenix police use deadly force far more often than necessary and target black and brown people far more often than white people.

Much of this has been documented in recent years by journalists at the Arizona Republic, whose investigations have repeatedly exposed unequal, unfair and unconscionable police practices. The U.S. Department of Justice, based in part on the Republic’s reporting, has issued a scathing three-year report on the department’s disregard for civil liberties.

Federal investigators found that officers routinely discriminate against blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans, violate the free speech rights of protesters and the property rights of homeless people.

Phoenix police shoot more often than most other police forces and systematically violate the rights of homeless people by taking their belongings and arresting them on flimsy grounds.

In the face of its own abuse of power cases, the ministry remained unmoved. Phoenix has shown that it will not reform sufficiently.

This is no longer acceptable.

Phoenix can’t change this alone

The only way to reform the system is through a federal mandate, a so-called consent decree. This path is invasive. It is expensive. But it is the only mechanism that promises accountability.

Moving forward without a settlement decision means maintaining the status quo.

City leaders have proven unable to balance public safety and civil rights in the city’s police force.

Their response to the investigation and its findings was totally inadequate.

Mayor Kate Gallego has so far only suggested “hearings.”

The politically divided city council and police leadership went into overdrive many months ago, dismissing the findings as innuendo and “half-truths” and vowing to fight any kind of federal oversight.

This resistance leads to lengthy and expensive litigation and undermines critics’ arguments that settlements should be avoided because of their high costs.

Phoenix leaders fought the Justice Department for years

And it is telling that the state legislature’s oversight of the city has been undermined, leaving few or no substantive options other than transforming the agency into a “self-evaluating and corrective agency,” as acting Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan put it.

Residents – especially blacks, Latinos and Native Americans – have no reason to believe that city leaders will turn things around.

The Justice Department found a “pattern or practice” that violated the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which protect free speech, prohibit unreasonable searches and seizures, and guarantee all people equal protection under the Constitution.

For nearly three years, federal authorities investigated the internal workings of the department, which has about 2,500 sworn officers. Their findings confirmed what residents had claimed and what The Republic and others had been reporting for years.

“We found profound deficiencies in PhxPD’s policies, training, oversight and accountability systems that have concealed and perpetuated these violations for years,” the report said.

Report reveals disturbing pattern of use of violence

Victims of police brutality, especially black people, felt vindicated. Latinos and others said the report confirmed their long-standing allegations of police brutality and racism, but still found the findings “appalling.”

The 126-page report reveals a police culture of excessive and often deadly use of force and a police department that disproportionately charges or arrests black drivers for minor traffic violations without bringing any significant charges against them.

The Phoenix Police Department is considered one of the most violent police departments in the country, with one of the highest annual shooting rates.

City officials told authorities they suspect the high number of shootings is due to Arizona’s gun laws, which allow the open and concealed carrying of firearms.

This makes it all the more important to remain vigilant. Federal authorities found that Phoenix police officers “fail to properly assess whether to shoot when they see a person with a weapon, even if the person does not pose an immediate threat.”

In one case, an officer shot a “suicidal” man shortly after he pulled a knife from his pocket and told them he wanted to die. “Because the man was not physically aggressive, told officers he wanted to die, and never threatened officers, the shooting was inappropriate,” the report said.

In another case, a police officer fired at a fleeing man. The man fell. The police officer fired again as the man fell to the ground.

“In some cases, officers ignore tactical principles, such as using cover or hiding places when encountering a potentially armed person. In other cases, officers create conditions in which they are unprotected or extremely vulnerable. These poor tactics can lead to unconstitutional uses of force.”

Mayor, city council and police have let the citizens down

Phoenix needs a highly trained and professional police force. Officers risk their lives to serve, but they must do so while protecting the civil rights of all.

The Justice Department’s report is a damning indictment of the leadership. They have failed to provide adequate training, oversight and discipline. Outrageous behavior is being glossed over or covered up.

Five years ago, Republic discovered that the agency routinely purged officers’ disciplinary records and kept misconduct secret.

It’s not hard to understand why nothing has changed.

Under Police Chief Jeri Williams, who led the force from 2016 to 2022, the police force was inundated with lawsuits and calls for outside investigations, the Justice Department report said.

During the 2020 protests that resulted from the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, police officers in Phoenix arrested 17 people who were falsely accused and charged with being members of a street gang.

An independent investigation resulted in a one-day suspension of Williams for her role in the case. The city manager at the time ordered department leadership to change policies and procedures.

Reform efforts were not enough

We are at a turning point.

Can we trust that Phoenix and its police leadership will reform? The answer is no.

According to the report, the Justice Department thanks Police Chief Sullivan for updating use-of-force policies and training. The department has launched a new crime-fighting plan.

But that’s not enough, says Deputy Attorney General Kristen Clarke.

Expect a long fight:About who controls the police

She led the federal investigation that “uncovered profound deficiencies in PhxPD’s policies, training, oversight and accountability systems that concealed and perpetuated these violations for years.”

A court-supervised settlement is needed. That is also the conclusion reached by community leaders across the country over the years, from New Orleans and Baltimore to Chicago and Ferguson, Missouri.

Phoenix can do much more to reduce mistrust

Mayor Gallego and the city government must immediately acknowledge that the Phoenix Police Department has committed discriminatory and unlawful acts, particularly against marginalized and vulnerable groups.

You must commit to eradicating abusive practices. You should broadly agree on the following:

Use better metrics and analytics to identify problems early.
Revise training to emphasize and teach de-escalation unless officers or the public are in immediate danger.
Ensure that managers critically review the behavior and actions of their employees, especially when complaints arise.

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