Attachment A - PSJ 2.21.23 Subcommittee.pdf

Phoenix City Council 
Public Safety and Justice (PSJ) Subcommittee 
Summary Minutes 
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 
City Council Chambers 
200 W. Jefferson St. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Subcommittee Members Present   
 Subcommittee Members Absent  
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, Chair 
Councilman Jim Waring 
Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari 
*Councilmember Carlos Garcia
CALL TO ORDER 
Chairwoman O’Brien called the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee to order at 9:35 
a.m. with Councilman Jim Waring and Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari present.
CALL TO THE PUBLIC 
None. 
MINUTES OF MEETINGS 
1. Minutes of the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee Meeting
Councilman Waring made a motion to approve the minutes of the Jan. 11, 2023 Public 
Safety and Justice Subcommittee meeting. Vice Mayor Ansari seconded the motion 
which passed unanimously, 3-0. 
INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (ITEMS 2-4) 
2. Phoenix Police Department Hiring, Recruitment, and Attrition Monthly Report
Chairwoman O’Brien introduced Assistant Chief Charmane Osborn and Assistant Chief 
Bryan Chapman to present on this item. 
*Councilmember Garcia joined the meeting at 9:38 a.m.
Chief Osborn presented on current staff levels, attrition and hiring, and separations. She 
said total staffing was 2,575 sworn filled positions, with 58 police recruits in the 
academy and 956 officers working in patrol as of Feb. 15. 
Chief Chapman explained the waiver process and how applications may be filtered out. 
Attachment A

Chairwoman O’Brien asked if there was a written exam for Police Department 
applications. 
Chief Chapman responded there was no longer a written exam in the hiring process. 
Chief Chapman discussed the various reasons contributing to the overall recruit attrition 
rate of 18% in the academy and field training. 
Councilman Waring asked how the City would reach best staffing levels despite 
retirements and the attrition of 269 officers between 2018 to 2022. 
Chief Chapman replied there would be progress on the long-term staffing needs due to 
the Council approved market rate adjustment. He said a focus on lateral officers would 
be beneficial in addition to hiring through the academy. 
Councilman Waring stated retaining officers who could otherwise retire may be more 
successful than lateral transfers and asked how many officers were retirement eligible. 
Chief Osborn answered 30% of police officers were eligible to retire. 
Councilman Waring asked if staff tracked reasons officers stayed with the City. 
Chief Chapman responded pay and opportunity to work in a culture like the City drew 12 
officers to be reinstated with the department. 
Councilman Waring said increasing staff levels would take more than pay and directed 
staff to conduct interviews to determine what convinces officers to stay. 
Chief Chapman responded staff complete re-entry interviews and post to social media 
to reach the desired demographic for hiring. 
Councilman Waring stated it is important to take care of current experienced officers by 
making the workplace better. 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked the number of sworn vacancies. 
Chief Chapman replied there were 3,125 allotted sworn positions.  
Chairwoman O’Brien requested future reports show the difference between medical, 
disciplinary, or voluntary separations. She asked how resources would be impacted with 
additional academy classes. 
Chief Chapman replied non-sworn staff could assist the administrative burden of sworn 
officers that lead two academy classes at once. He said three more field training 
programs would be added at the end of the calendar year to plan for the demand. 
Councilman Waring asked why the City does not receive many lateral transfers.

Chief Chapman responded the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) 
has a more robust training than in other states, and the requirements do not match for a 
seamless transfer. He added laterals cannot be under open investigation. 
Councilman Waring asked if the requirements to be a police officer in Arizona were 
more rigorous. 
Chief Chapman answered the standards were different than other states. 
Councilman Waring stated this was not discussed previously and asked if the 
certification testing or other standards made it tougher to become a police officer in 
Arizona. 
Chief Chapman replied officers hoping to transfer from other states had to re-take and 
pass the comprehensive Arizona POST test. He stated a potential officer must submit to 
a polygraph during the hiring process, while other states do not require it. 
Councilman Waring thanked staff for the information. 
Chairwoman O’Brien expressed hopes to recruit from a list of states with standards 
equal to Arizona and highlighted a bill introduced in the legislature that would attempt to 
streamline processes impacting the City’s ability to recruit laterals from another state. 
3. Redeployment of Fire Department Resource Squad 29 
Chairwoman O’Brien introduced Chief Mike Duran and Assistant Chief Mark Gonzales 
to present on the item. 
Chief Duran stated Squad 29 was a unique and critical resource in the system that he 
decided would relocate to Station 41. 
Chief Gonzales provided background for why the Squad 29 apparatus was located at 
Station 72 in the northeast part of Phoenix for 12 years. He said to address excessive 
coverage issues, the Fire Department will redeploy this specialized unit to Station 41, 
which is along the I-17 between Union Hills and Bell roads in the near future. He stated 
a labor management ad hoc committee evaluated to maintain Squad 29 as designed 
and recommended moving it as an effective solution. 
Councilman Waring asked if Squad 29 was located at Station 72 since 2010. 
Chief Gonzales confirmed yes.  
Councilman Waring asked why there was a sense of urgency to announce the decision 
to relocate Squad 29.

Chief Duran responded there was a time constraint in the fiscal year to put the new 
engine 72 into service. He stated Squad 29 filled a need during the Great Recession, 
but data analysis informed the decision to relocate it to a better suited location. 
Councilman Waring stated constituents were uncertain of how the decision was made 
and asked for a situational example of how Squad 29 at Station 41 would be better 
going forward. 
Chief Duran replied after several months of data analysis, the labor management 
process determined it was the right decision. He said Fire Department members were 
informed of the decision-making process.  
Councilman Waring asked if the Council had discussed or voted on moving the 
resource out of District 2. 
Chief Duran replied it was his decision to move Squad 29 specialized for firefighter 
safety to Station 41 and thanked the councilmembers for approving the FY 2022-23 
budget to replace it permanently with an all-hazards pumper and permanent staff. 
Councilman Waring expressed his preference to be informed about future decisions and 
for staff to rephrase the intentions to resolve miscommunications among constituents.  
Chief Gonzales displayed two maps to represent the 10-minute coverage areas of the 
three specialized units in the Squad program, improved by relocating Squad 29. 
Chief Gonzales explained the three coverage areas aligned with interstate corridors for 
efficient response to rescue a firefighter and noted Squad 29 would be closer to the 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). He stated next steps were 
assessments of special operations and the opportunity to redeploy Ladder 41. 
Councilman Waring asked if Station 72 would have fewer staff and a lesser quality fire 
apparatus. 
Chief Gonzales replied there will be one less firefighter in the unit and Engine 72 will 
provide the same service delivery. 
Councilman Waring expressed understanding of concerns from constituents and asked 
staff to provide an email update explaining how the redeployment of resources would 
impact the response time to their address. 
Chief Gonzales said the replacement engine at Station 72 would serve the community 
with the same response time and allow for Squad 29 to go support firefighters in the 
identified area of need.  
Councilman Waring asked how specifically the decision would impact the Desert Ridge 
community.

Chief Gonzales replied Ladder 37 had a five minute and 32 second response time to the 
area and there would be further evaluation of coverage for places of highest demand. 
Councilman Waring asked about the functions of the new Engine 72. 
Chief Gonzales stated the apparatus could do the necessary service. 
Councilman Waring stated constituents with concerns should be sent another email with 
more specific details about how the redeployment decision was made and include 
reassurances that their safety would not be impacted. 
Chief Duran said staff would provide more follow up to the constituents. 
Councilman Waring asked if the placement of Squad 29 at Station 41 was the first 
choice of the ad hoc committee. 
Chief Duran replied other recommendations were explored but based on the data and 
the coverage map he decided Station 41 was the best decision to improve the system 
and it will allow Ladder 41 to address other deficiencies. 
Councilman Waring asked if the committee of firefighters ratified Chief Duran’s decision 
or provided additional recommendations. 
Chief Duran replied he had the authority to make the decision and based the decision 
on data and recommendations. 
Chairwoman O’Brien called for public comment on the agenda item. 
Brett Wintrich expressed concern of the unit being relocated and believed the residents 
would benefit from knowing the functions of an all-hazardous unit. 
Kyle Stoneberger discussed the specialized operations of the squad. 
Russ Haedt discussed other ideas for coverage and response time. 
Councilmember Garcia asked if there was a response gap while Squad 29 was out 
responding to a call, but now there would be a consistent engine available at Station 72. 
Chief Duran responded there were previously extended timeframes where additional 
coverage was needed while Squad 29 was out on a call because Station 72 was not a 
multicompany fire station, but now Engine 72 will provide consistent service. 
Councilmember Garcia asked if TSMC should have a permanent fire station to serve 
the facility, like the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. 
Chief Duran replied the General Obligation Bond proposed Station 51 could serve the 
TSMC area, trained with hazmat capabilities.

Councilmember Garcia asked if resources would be redeployed in a few years after 
future Station 51 was operational. 
Chief Duran answered it was not a common practice to move resources, and this 
placement factored in future growth of the system.  
Vice Mayor Ansari asked for reiteration on the final decision-making process with 
consideration to firefighter safety. 
Chief Duran said the development growth along the I-17 corridor and the TSMC site 
required greater coverage closer in the system to reduce response times and additional 
coverage would not be needed by housing the squad in Station 41. 
Vice Mayor Ansari asked about firefighter engagement to provide input on decisions. 
Chief Duran explained the committee structure and expressed appreciation for Squad 
29 providing input. 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if the brush truck at Station 72 would remain staffed. 
Chief Duran answered the crew from Engine 72 would be trained to staff Brush 72 when 
there is a brush fire in the area. 
Councilwoman O’Brien asked how long before Ladder 41 would be placed. 
Chief Gonzales stated the labor management process would determine the best 
location to move all the resources together at once by the end of the fiscal year. 
Chairwoman O’Brien asked if the labor management committee was provided the same 
data and if staff prepared a recommendation for the committee. 
Chief Gonzales responded staff presented information and a coinciding 
recommendation that addressed the highest demand. 
Chief Duran added staff analyzed what was best for the community and provided 
information to the Subcommittee, the United Phoenix Firefighters Local 493 president, 
and other groups.  
4. Community Assistance Program Update 
Chairwoman O’Brien introduced Deputy City Manager Ginger Spencer, Community 
Assistance Program Administrator Dolores Ernst, Homeless Solutions Special Project 
Administrator Scott Hall, and Police Communications Supervisor Ali Edwards to present 
on the item.

Ms. Spencer thanked staff for leadership and support of the Community Assistance 
Program (CAP). She gave an overview of the components of CAP, as the third branch 
of the first responder system to give appropriate response to 9-1-1 callers. 
Ms. Ernst explained how the $15 million funding would expand the dispatch of Behavior 
Health Units (BHU) as a single unit or in co-response with Fire and Police personnel. 
She said BHU teams interacted with 203 individuals since July 5, 2022 and do ongoing 
outreach to build rapport in the community. Ms. Ernst summarized continued hiring 
efforts and provided examples of the partnerships with CAP, such as Public Works 
Department purchasing fleet, universities for internships, and meetings with Mercy Care 
about service delivery. 
Ms. Edwards presented the Police Communications updated policy for transferring calls 
to Solari Response or BHU, depending on the criteria of the situation. She stated the 
weekly average of calls was 132 to Solari and 5 to BHU. She listed the questions a 9-1-
1 operator would ask the caller to better identify the calls with a behavioral health 
component. 
Ms. Ernst discussed the timeline of the contract with MD Ally for telehealth services. 
Mr. Hall discussed how the Office of Homeless Solutions administered funding from the 
American Rescue Plan Act to contract with Mercy Care for behavioral health services.  
Ms. Spencer stated the City participated in two programs to determine best practices of 
alternative emergency response, including the creation of the Community Mental Health 
Wellness and Safety Task Force. She sought feedback from the subcommittee 
members before next steps were taken to find individuals from the community to serve 
on the task force. 
Ms. Ernst provided four success stories of individuals who received BHU services. 
Vice Mayor Ansari asked about the timeline and what the program needed to be fully 
operational. 
Ms. Ernst replied staff filled 30 of the 130.9 full time positions. 
Ms. Spencer added there were incentives for caseworkers and social workers to work 
for the CAP program and weekly recruitments would open to accelerate hiring. 
Vice Mayor Ansari was pleased to see a CAP unit included with proposed Station 15 in 
the General Obligation Bond program and asked what zip codes the program has 
serviced thus far. 
Ms. Spencer thanked the Council for support of the $15 million CAP expansion and 
listed a few potential partnership sites. She said performance metrics with data from the

Police Department and Fire Department would be captured with the help of the 
Information Technology Department. 
Vice Mayor Ansari requested to understand where the calls were coming from and the 
number of calls that could not be taken by CAP due to staff levels. 
Ms. Ernst noted those statistics could be provided after the meeting. 
Vice Mayor Ansari stated there was improvement due to behavioral health intervention 
at an intersection of concern in Laveen. She asked if staff had the proper amount of 
resources to address other areas of concern throughout the city. 
Ms. Spencer replied there were adequate resources once staffing increased for more 
units to respond throughout the community. 
Vice Mayor Ansari expressed support for the taskforce and education to the community. 
Councilmember Garcia agreed on the importance of community education to call 9-1-1 
for behavioral health needs. He asked how the different partner agencies and 
departments coordinated services to connect individuals to the right resources. 
Mr. Hall responded the complicated system is able to efficiently serve the community 
through weekly or monthly coordination meetings with teams and providers that utilized 
data to show the effectiveness of the program. 
Councilmember Garcia expressed appreciation for the direction given the complexity 
and asked how to expand the capacity for BHU. 
Ms. Edwards replied the newly implemented BHU currently worked Sunday to 
Wednesday 7am-5pm, compared to Solari working 24/7. She said the calls to Solari 
were slow in the beginning and they have been in service for four years. She predicted 
the co-location with the behavioral health center and sending more vans into the 
community will help increase call volume to BHU. 
Councilmember Garcia asked about the timeline and objectives of the taskforce. 
Ms. Spencer replied staff was ready to implement the taskforce with Subcommittee 
support, and the City Manager could send a call to the public in the next month. 
Councilmember Garcia stated CAP was a great tool to pitch in connection with Police 
Department and Fire Department retention, for staff to know trained personnel would 
respond to these types of calls. 
Chairwoman O’Brien expressed thanks for the item and requested a CAP hiring update 
as a monthly informational report. She was supportive of a community taskforce to 
achieve the objectives.

CALL TO THE PUBLIC  
None. 
 
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 
Chairwoman O’Brien requested a presentation about train cargo safety plans. 
 
Councilmember Garcia requested a presentation about resources through victim 
services. 
 
ADJOURNMENT 
Chairwoman O’Brien adjourned the meeting at 11:30 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Nina Fader 
Management Fellow