Attachment A - 9.2.2026 PSJ Subcommittee Minutes

ATTACHMENT A
Phoenix City Council
Public Safety and Justice (PSJ) Subcommittee
Summary Minutes
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
City Council Chambers
200 W. Jefferson St.
Phoenix, Ariz.
Subcommittee Members Present Subcommittee Members Absent
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, Chair
Councilwoman Laura Pastor
Councilman Kevin Robinson
Councilman Jim Waring
CALL TO ORDER
Chairwoman O’Brien called the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee (PSJ) to order
at 10:02 a.m. with 4 members present.
CALL TO THE PUBLIC
None.
MINUTES OF MEETINGS
1. Minutes of the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee Meeting
Councilman Robinson motioned to approve the minutes of the September 2, 2026,
Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee meeting. Councilman Waring seconded the
motion which passed unanimously, 4-0.
INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (ITEMS 2-4)
2. Phoenix Community Court Update - Citywide
Deputy Director of Office of Homeless Solutions Scott Hall, Interim City Prosecutor Gary
Shupe, and Director of Public Defender’s Office David Ward presented this item.
Mr. Shupe thanked the subcommittee members for the opportunity to provide an update
regarding the Community Court program and listed the key partners that contribute to
the success of the Community Court program.
Mr. Ward provided an overview of Community Court, including how the program begins,
the customization of services, and qualifications necessary to complete the program.
Mr. Hall explained the various services offered to those who participate in Community
Court. He then shared statistics on resource utilization and detailed outcomes for the
1,023 participants from January 2024 to July 2026. He explained the importance of
recognizing the hardships participants may face throughout the program.

Mr. Ward shared two success stories of graduates from the program.
Staff then closed the presentation by describing the future of Community Court and how
the program will continue to grow and benefit participants.
Councilman Robinson thanked staff and asked how staff navigate some residents’
perceptions that Community Court may be criminalizing homelessness or that the
program may be abused as a free pass.
Mr. Ward explained the Court is there to break the cycle of reoffending through
resources such as employment, education, and housing. Mr. Ward explained that the
program requires participants to opt in.
Councilman Robinson highlighted the importance of the program and the proper
understanding of Community Court outcomes and impact.
Councilwoman Pastor expressed appreciation for staffs’ work and acknowledged the
difficulty that comes with rehabilitation.
Chairwoman O’Brien shared appreciation for her colleagues’ support as well as staff for
their execution of the program. She asked about the consequences for a participant
who chooses to stop engaging in the necessary program work.
Mr. Shupe explained the participant would be returned to a traditional courtroom if they
failed to complete the program requirements.
Chairwoman O’Brien clarified and asked if the participant would still be held
accountable for their offense through a normal court process.
Mr. Shupe reaffirmed a dismissal of charges or reduction in penalty would come from
the completion of Community Court, not through a regular courtroom process.
Chairwoman O’Brien articulated the importance of the community’s knowledge of
Community Court program resources. She then asked if anyone had been turned away
from the program.
Mr. Ward stated no individual has been turned away from the program, adding that the
program is close to capacity.
Chairwoman O’Brien requested information, for a future agenda, regarding a plan to
accommodate growth and prevent hopeful participants from being turned away due to
capacity.
Assistant City Manager Lori Bays shared staff are exploring new elements of the
program, including an in-custody pilot program as well as the expansion of the existing
Community Court program and will bring that information to discuss further.
3. Municipal Court Roadmap - Citywide
Chief Presiding Judge Wilbur Hudson presented this item.

Judge Hudson shared various ways the Municipal Court has been reimagined, noting
changes such as being more involved in the community.
Councilman Robinson questioned if there will be an opportunity to expand court hours.
Judge Hudson responded staff are currently working with the Budget and Research
Department to explore the feasibility of the expansion of court hours.
Councilman Robinson highlighted the difficulty that comes from court hours aligning with
regular work hours and stressed the importance of adjusting court hours to increase
accessibility.
Judge Hudson agreed and highlighted the exploration of possible solutions, noting that
the courtroom is expected to be built by the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027,
where the hearings will proceed.
Councilwoman Pastor inquired who is responsible for the protective order process at
local high schools and colleges.
Judge Hudson stated Katie Lavy, within operations, is the organizer.
Councilwoman Pastor shared she is the co-chair of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx
de Aztlán (MEChA) Club at Phoenix College and expressed it would be a great
opportunity for them and the student body.
Judge Hudson stated if staff receive the contact information, they will reach out.
Chairwoman O’Brien voiced her gratitude for the court’s implementation of the City
Council’s ideas and expressed excitement for the future of the court.
4. Phoenix Police Department Recruitment, Hiring, and Attrition Update - Citywide
Commander Warren Brewer and Assistant Human Resources Director Megan Avalos
presented this item.
Commander Brewer detailed applicant engagement, measurable results, and strategies
used to build a quality hiring pipeline. Commander Brewer provided statistics regarding
sworn positions from 2024 to 2026.
Ms. Avalos presented 2025 to 2026 sworn‑staff demographics, applicant and
recruitment trends, and 2015 to 2029 projections for police recruit and officer staffing.
She detailed how HR is working with employment services and the Phoenix Police
Department to improve recruits’ experiences and optimize internal processes
throughout the hiring process.
Commander Brewer described the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) and its
significant impact on altering staffing numbers. He explained how DROP relates to

retention and attrition within the department and what those statistics reflect. He
provided data showing the five most successful sources of recruitment as well as an
introduction and explanation of their new recruitment campaign “One Badge. On
Recruit.”
Chairwoman O’Brien asked Commander Brewer to share a recruitment story.
Commander Brewer recounted a female recruit interested in applying for another city in
Arizona, but after receiving a tour of the new headquarters, he shared that she will be
joining the next academy class for the City of Phoenix.
Commander Brewer highlighted the importance of Phoenix Police Department’s
relationships with surrounding universities and offered to share more details in the
future.
Councilman Robinson asked if the recent incident regarding two Phoenix Police officers
has negatively impacted recruitment.
Commander Brewer explained staff are actively monitoring any potential impact,
however, that staff have not seen any effects yet and will remain vigilant.
Councilman Robinson inquired about the 30by30 initiative and if Phoenix is prioritizing
that proposal.
Commander Brewer stated it is a point of focus throughout their hiring, citing the last
class as their highest number of female recruits, with the assumption that the trend will
remain consistent.
Chairwoman O’Brien asked for information on physical fitness testing and its impact on
female recruits.
Ms. Avalos responded staff are reviewing pre-academy physical agility and ability
testing and ensuring the metrics allow for female candidates to be successful upon
reaching the academy.
Councilman Waring expressed concern regarding a decline in hiring in 2020.
Councilwoman Pastor cited multiple social and political movements and events as
possible contributors to the decline. She recognized the adjustments made to
counteract that decline and that it is a problem on a national scale.
Councilwoman Pastor asked for information on the expansion of opportunities for
recruits ranging in ages 18 to 21, citing Franklin Police Academy specifically.
Chairwoman O’Brien commented on contributing factors to decreasing recruitment
rates.

INFORMATION ONLY (ITEMS 5-6)
5. Community Assistance Program (CAP) Expansion Implementation Report -
Citywide
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information.
6. Fire Department Staffing and Response Times Update - Citywide
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information.
CALL TO THE PUBLIC
None.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilwoman Pastor requested information on short-term rentals, call volume, and
how they are related to each other. Additionally, she asked for information regarding the
tethering ordinance and how it is being enforced.
ADJOURNMENT
Chairwoman O’Brien adjourned the meeting at 11:16 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Caitlin Johnston
Management Fellow