Attachement A PSJ Subcommittee 6.8.22 .pdf

Phoenix City Council 
Public Safety and Justice (PSJ) Subcommittee 
Summary Minutes 
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 
City Council Chambers 
200 W. Jefferson St. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Subcommittee Members Present Subcommittee Members Absent  
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, Chair 
Councilman Jim Waring 
Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari 
Councilmember Carlos Garcia  
 
Councilmember Carlos Garcia joined the voting body at 9:36 a.m. 
 
CALL TO ORDER 
Chairwoman O’Brien called the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee to order at 9:32 
a.m. with Councilman Jim Waring and Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari present. She 
thanked the Phoenix Police Officers that had received recognition during National Police 
Week and the Pride in Our Heroes Annual Awards Ceremony. She described the 
historical marker monument ceremony to honor fallen Phoenix Police Officer Ginarro 
New and the homecoming of wounded Police Officer Tyler Moldovan. She expressed 
her commitment to supporting public safety in the City.  
CALL TO THE PUBLIC 
Jacob Raiford expressed concerns about the Police Department and voiced support for 
non-Police responses to various call types.  
MINUTES OF MEETINGS 
1. Minutes of the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee Meeting 
Councilwoman Ansari made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 11, 2022 
Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee meeting. Councilman Waring seconded the 
motion, which passed unanimously 4-0. 
INFORMATION ONLY (ITEMS 2-3) 
2. Phoenix Police Department Hiring, Recruitment, and Attrition Monthly Report 
Councilman Waring asked for an update on hiring efforts.  
Assistant City Manager Lori Bays introduced Executive Assistant Police Chief Michael 
Kurtenbach. 
Attachment A

Councilman Waring stated his understanding of police hiring efforts and asked if hiring 
trends were continuing to improve. 
Chief Kurtenbach described recent accomplishments in police hiring.  
Councilman Waring asked for an estimate of police staffing levels in December if 
current trends continued. 
Chief Kurtenbach discussed expected changes to police staffing levels and response 
times based on current trends. 
Councilman Waring stated his understanding of police staffing trends.  
Chief Kurtenbach confirmed that this was accurate. 
Councilman Waring asked how staffing levels impacted response times. 
Chief Kurtenbach described current Police Department resource allocation strategies to 
meet community needs and improve response times.  
Councilman Waring recognized efforts to improve staffing levels and response times.  
3. Continued Item Going to June 15, 2022 Formal Council Meeting – 
Neighborhood Block Watch Oversight Committee’s Recommendations for the 
2022 Grant Program Awards 
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (ITEMS 4-5)  
4. City of Phoenix and Arizona State University Police Response to Calls-for-
Service Project 
Assistant City Manager Lori Bays introduced the item and presenters. 
Dr. Michael Scott of Arizona State University described the purpose, guiding principles, 
and various analytical considerations of the Calls-for-Service Project. He discussed 
alternatives to sworn police response to identified call types and the importance of 
timely police response to emergencies and proactive community problem solving. He 
explained preliminary recommendations of the project and emphasized the shared 
responsibility among stakeholder groups to address community challenges.  
Councilman Waring asked how self-reported vehicle crashes might impact insurance 
reporting.  
Dr. Scott noted that insurance claims should not be impacted by a change in vehicle 
crash reporting processes.

Councilman Waring indicated that self-reporting could lead to difficulties determining the 
responsible party in vehicle crashes.  
Chief Kurtenbach explained that Arizona state law required that vehicle crash reports be 
filed by a member of the Police Department.  
Councilman Waring stated his understanding that City could not pursue self-reporting of 
vehicle crashes.  
Chief Kurtenbach noted that the City could not pursue this under Arizona state law. 
Councilman Waring indicated that this information should have been included in the 
presentation and asked why this was a recommended course of action.  
Chairwoman O’Brien noted that Dr. Scott had mentioned that some recommendations 
would be dependent on state and local laws. She asked staff to explain which 
recommendations could not be implemented under current laws.  
Chief Kurtenbach described existing laws and program details related to intrusion 
alarms, abandoned vehicles, and noise complaints. 
Chairwoman O’Brien indicated that the police response to vehicle crashes was guided 
by state statute. 
Chief Kurtenbach confirmed this was correct. 
Dr. Scott explained that some law enforcement agencies in Arizona had been able to 
reduce their vehicle crash investigations, encouraging further exploration by City staff.  
Councilwoman Ansari thanked the presenters and asked about plans to implement 
proposed recommendations.  
Ms. Bays noted that next steps for the Calls-for-Service Project would be discussed 
later in the presentation. 
Councilman Waring asked about the potential to utilize Police Assistants to respond to 
vehicle crashes. 
Chief Kurtenbach indicated that Police Assistants were already utilized to respond to 
some vehicle crashes. 
Councilman Waring asked if there was a mix of both Police Assistants and Police 
Officers responding to minor vehicle crashes.  
Chief Kurtenbach confirmed that there was.

Councilman Waring suggested that the City could hire additional Police Assistants to 
respond to minor crashes. He asked how many additional Police Assistants would be 
needed to eliminate sworn officer responses to minor crashes. 
Chief Kurtenbach noted that staff was working with Ms. Bays to explore this. 
Councilman Waring expressed concern about utilizing non-sworn staff to respond to 
civil matter stand-by requests. He indicated his openness to exploring reduced sworn 
officer welfare checks. He emphasized the prevalence of noise complaints and asked 
about civil cost recovery. 
Chief Kurtenbach asked for clarification on Councilman Waring’s question.  
Councilman Waring clarified that he would like more information on how noise 
complaints were impacted by short-term rentals.  
Chief Kurtenbach discussed revenues and costs related to noise complaints.  
Councilman Waring voiced concerns about the adequacy about a non-sworn response 
to the rising number of noise complaints. He asked about the cost recovery of the sworn 
officer response to intrusion alarms.  
Chief Kurtenbach indicated that the intrusion alarm program was almost cost neutral. 
Councilman Waring stated his understanding of the intrusion alarm program.  
Chief Kurtenbach confirmed Councilman Waring’s understanding. 
Councilman Waring suggested that non-sworn staff could be hired to respond to 
intrusion alarms instead of assigned sworn staff.  
Chief Kurtenbach explained that the only staff assigned to the intrusion alarm program 
were civilian staff, noting that these staff could be reassigned to meet other police 
needs if related laws and program policies were changed.  
Councilman Waring expressed confusion about the intrusion alarm program and how 
recommended changes would impact staffing levels. 
Chief Kurtenbach reiterated that the budgeted intrusion alarm staff were non-sworn staff 
managing the program. 
Councilman Waring asked for confirmation that the non-sworn staff intrusion alarm 
would not respond to violent crimes if not assigned to the intrusion alarm program.  
Chief Kurtenbach confirmed that the non-sworn intrusion alarm staff would not respond 
to violent crimes.

Councilman Waring indicated that the intrusion alarm program was revenue positive. 
Chief Kurtenbach verified this. He clarified that the recommendation was to eliminate 
police response to intrusion alarms and defer this response to alarm companies. 
Councilman Waring noted that the revenues provided by the program would not cover 
the costs of sworn officer responses to intrusion alarms. He described the potential 
impacts of implementing the recommended policy change. He stated his understanding 
of the police response to abandoned vehicles and asked for more information on the 
abandoned vehicle program. 
Chief Kurtenbach explained the police response to abandoned vehicles, highlighting the 
potential staff involved at different stages in the process. 
Councilman Waring asked if the staff signing documentation for the towing contractor 
must be sworn staff. 
Chief Kurtenbach indicated this did not need to be done by a sworn officer. 
Councilman Waring described a recent experience calling the police about an 
abandoned vehicle and suggested non-sworn staff respond to abandoned vehicle call.  
Chief Kurtenbach agreed with this suggestion. 
Councilman Waring noted that non-sworn staff could also be utilized for parking 
enforcement. 
Councilmember Garcia recognized the importance of the project, related community 
feedback, and researching best practices. He suggested that the response to many call 
types could be removed from the Police Department, including those related to parking 
enforcement, mental health, and minor crashes. He explained his concerns about sworn 
officers responding to civil matter standby calls. He described a recent incident involving 
Tempe Police where an individual drowned and emphasized the importance of utilizing 
specialized staff to respond to specific issues.  
Chairwoman O’Brien asked for additional information on the described role of mental 
illness in police calls. 
Dr. Scott described the process of analyzing call notes to identify potential mental health 
indicators and suggested that a method be developed to better identify calls with mental 
health as a contributing factor. 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked for clarification on the statistics in the presentation. 
Dr. Scott clarified the statistics presented.

Chief Kurtenbach discussed efforts to divert calls related to mental health crises and 
juvenile behavioral disturbances. He explained next steps in the Police Response to 
Calls-for-Service Project. 
Councilwoman Ansari asked about the timeline to operationalize recommendations. 
Chief Kurtenbach noted that the staff and researchers planned to work with City 
leadership to operationalize recommendations in the next several months. 
Ms. Bays indicated staff would seek to provide initial proposals to the subcommittee 
within the calendar year. 
Councilwoman Ansari asked if these proposals would include the creation of new 
positions, referencing the suggested noise specialist position. 
Ms. Bays explained that most recommendations would require adding positions.  
Councilwoman Ansari asked if most of the added positions would be in the 
Neighborhood Services Department. 
Ms. Bays noted that this was possible and currently under analysis. 
Councilwoman Ansari voiced her excitement for the project and its potential impacts.  
Councilman Waring expressed his support for the project and the diversion of calls for 
juvenile behavioral issues. He asked about the annual number of calls for service. 
Chief Kurtenbach discussed the number of calls received and dispatched by the Police 
Department every year. 
Councilman Waring asked for additional clarification on the number of calls dispatched 
to sworn officers. 
Chief Kurtenbach clarified this number. 
Councilman Waring asked how the call types presented compared to the total number 
of calls dispatched. 
Chief Kurtenbach described the process of communications staff screening, 
categorizing, and dispatching calls. He indicated that the call types presented were 
dispatched calls.  
Councilman Waring stated his understanding that the call types presented required 
either sworn or non-sworn police staff. 
Dr. Scott clarified that the call type statistics presented were for calls dispatched to 
patrol officers.

Councilman Waring stated his understanding of the statistics presented. 
Chief Kurtenbach noted that calls dispatched to patrol officers may be adjudicated by 
non-sworn patrol staff. 
Councilman Waring expressed the importance of understanding the proportion of sworn 
officer responses being discussed. He described the potential impacts of proposed 
recommendations and suggested that staff expedite changes most impactful to sworn 
staffing needs, noting that hiring and training staff to implement changes would take 
time. He voiced his support for the sworn staff survey component of the project. 
Councilmember Garcia asked if the number of calls with mental health as a contributing 
factor could be further studied and better quantified.  
Dr. Scott indicated that the study was still in progress and that mental health indicators 
would be studied more. 
Councilmember Garcia suggested a public information campaign to promote the 
appropriate use of police in response to juvenile behavioral difficulties. He expressed 
his support for the sworn staff survey and prioritizing Police Officer mental health. 
Chairwoman O’Brien requested that staff accelerate efforts to implement 
recommendations. She emphasized the importance of ensuring the right resources are 
used to respond to juvenile behavioral disturbances. 
5. Phoenix Police Department Advanced Less Lethal Response Program 
Assistant City Manager Lori Bays introduced the item. 
Assistant Police Chief Bryan Chapman described various components to promote less 
lethal response by police officers, including policy changes, de-escalation and crisis 
intervention, additional training models, and previously authorized less lethal tools. He 
discussed the Advanced Less Lethal Response Program, piloted less lethal tools, 
community involvement, and program results. He noted examples where the piloted 
tools were utilized and next steps for program implementation.  
Councilmember Garcia expressed his support for reality-based training and asked how 
other real incidents encountered by police could be used for training.  
Chief Chapman described the organized briefing training used by the Police Department 
Councilwoman Ansari asked how the results of the City’s policy changes compared to 
the results experienced by other law enforcement agencies. 
Chief Chapman indicated that this information was not available, adding that a limited 
number of law enforcement agencies had adopted similar policy changes.

Councilwoman Ansari asked if there was a third-party organization tracking and 
comparing agency performance. 
Chief Chapman noted that the 8 Can’t Wait and Campaign Zero organizations tracked 
policy reform adoption and that they did not track the results of these policy changes.  
Chairwoman O’Brien asked for additional information on the importance of time and 
distance in police responses. 
Chief Chapman explained the value of utilizing time and distance to de-escalate 
potentially volatile situations, noting that these were emphasized in officer training. 
Chairwoman O’Brien indicated that the less lethal tools increased the distance in 
incident response and asked if they aided in concluding incidents more quickly.  
Chief Chapman noted that this varied case-by-case. He described various measures of 
success being analyzed to evaluate the Advanced Less Lethal Response Program. 
Chairwoman O’Brien thanked staff for their efforts and the potential of the program to 
benefit the community.  
 
CALL TO THE PUBLIC  
None. 
 
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 
Chairwoman O’Brien expressed her concerns about gun violence in the City and 
requested an item on reducing gun violence be added to the next agenda. She 
indicated that Councilmember Garcia had previously requested an update on the 
recommendations of the Review and Implementation Ad Hoc Committee, noting that 
Mayor Gallego would be adding this item to a future Policy Session. 
Councilmember Garcia asked for an update on the Community Assistance Program and 
how community members can engage with the program. 
Councilwoman Ansari voiced her support for an item on gun violence prevention. 
 
ADJOURNMENT 
Chairwoman O’Brien adjourned the meeting at 11:17 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Sara Del Valle 
Management Intern