Additional Phoenix PD reforms will follow new use-of-force policy

Axios

24-02-2025

The Phoenix Police Department's new use-of-force policy is the first in a series of reforms the department plans to unveil in the coming months.
State of play: The department expects to have policies ready for public comment in April on the use of police dogs, youth interactions, permitting, and data collection on stops, searches and arrests.
In May, draft policies will be ready for review on unattended, seized or impounded property.
And in September, draft policies on accountability are expected.
Why it matters: The policies will address issues raised in the U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights investigation, which found numerous Phoenix PD patterns and practices that violated constitutional rights.
The intrigue: Phoenix PD says it's committed to moving forward with reforms regardless of what happens with federal civil rights investigations under the Trump administration, which is expected to take a much more hands-off approach than the Biden administration.
Zoom in: The department also expects to craft new policies over the next few months on "First Amendment facilitation and management" to guide how officers respond to large-scale gatherings, vehicle and pedestrian stops, and cultural competency training, among other areas.
What's next: After a policy goes up for public comment, it still could take a while before it goes into effect.
Once that process is finished, the department needs to create a required training for each new policy.
As an example, implementation of the new use-of-force policy took two years.
Yes, but: PPD spokesperson Ryan Cody told Axios that most new policies probably won't take as long to implement as the use-of-force guidelines, which received more than 800 public comments.
Catch up quick: The DOJ last June released the findings of a three-year civil rights investigation into Phoenix police in which the agency found patterns of:
Excessive use of force, including unnecessary deadly force.
Arresting people experiencing homelessness without reasonable suspicion of crimes and improperly seizing or destroying their property.
Engaging in discriminatory enforcement against Black, Latino and Native American people.
Violating the rights of protesters engaging in constitutionally protected speech.
Discriminatory enforcement against people with behavioral health problems.
Driving the news: PPD last week released its new policy stating that officers should use only force that's "necessary and proportional to effectively and safely resolve an incident," in addition to the previous standard that force be "reasonable."
The new policy also requires that all incidents in which force is used be reported.
In a statement announcing the new policy, interim police chief Michael Sullivan said the department made sure its criteria for using force were more clearly defined than in the previous policy.
The policy is the result of two years' worth of effort that began shortly after Sullivan's hiring in 2022, about a year into the DOJ investigation.
What they're saying: The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA), the union representing PPD officers, described the new use-of-force policy as confusing.
PLEA president Darrell Kriplean told KTAR the new proportionality requirement is too subjective, expressing concerns that officers could be hurt if they're too slow to react to a threat because of the policy.
Cody told Axios the addition of the "necessary and proportional" requirement was intended to more clearly define the "reasonable" standard, which was somewhat vague and subjective.
What we're watching: Phoenix is looking for a new, permanent police chief.
The city expects to have a list of finalists next month and to announce a new chief in April.