[1. ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK]
[00:00:04]
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 2ND.WOULD YOU PLEASE ALL RISE AND JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE WORLD.
THANK YOU, MARCELLA, CAN WE GET ROLL CALL PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI HERE.
[a. Employee Announcements]
UH, WE GET TO DO INTRODUCTIONS, UH, BUT SANDRA'S NOT HERE.SO, UH, SOMEONE WROTE SOMETHING VERY NICE FOR ME TO READ REAL QUICK.
SO ALTHOUGH SHE'S UNFORTUNATELY NOT HERE THIS EVENING, WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT SANDRA SALAS HAS REJOINED THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS A MANAGEMENT ANALYST.
WE ARE VERY, WE ARE VERY HAPPY.
UH, SHE HAS RETURNED TO THE TEAM AND WELCOME HER BACK TO THE CITY.
NEXT UP IS, UH, THE COURT, I BELIEVE THE HONORABLE JUDGE JENNINGS, UH, OUR MUNICIPAL JUDGE AND OUR COURT ADMINISTRATOR, ABRIL, OUR GONNA INTRODUCE ONE OF THEIR NEW EMPLOYEES.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ABR AND I ARE HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR NEWEST COURT EMPLOYEE.
SHE'S A COURT CLERK ONE, AND STARTED WITH US ON THE 17TH OF, UM, FEBRUARY.
WE WERE, WE WEREN'T THINKING SHE WAS GONNA START UNTIL TODAY'S DATE OR TOMORROW, TODAY OR TOMORROW, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO START A COUPLE WEEKS EARLY, UH, WORKING WITH HR.
SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT SHE'S HERE AND SHE HAS A FEW STATEMENTS THAT SHE WANTS TO PRESENT TO YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM THE AREA, GOODYEAR AVONDALE.
UM, GRADUATED FROM RIA HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I DID MOVE TO TEXAS BRIEFLY IN 2021 FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
UM, THERE I WAS ABLE TO WORK AS AN ELIGIBILITY SPECIALIST, UM, HELPING FAMILIES GET BENEFITS THAT THEY NEEDED, UM, FINDING LOCAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR THEM.
UM, AND I WAS ALSO WORKING FOR FUN AT THE DALLAS COWBOYS PRO SHOP, AS I AM A COWBOYS FAN.
OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, SELENA.
REALLY QUICKLY, I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT TO GO OVER AND, AND MAYBE WE'RE SHORT ON TIME, BUT REALLY QUICKLY BEING THAT IT'S BEEN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, WHAT HAVE YOU THOUGHT SO FAR? UM, I LOVE IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOBODY, YOU NEVER SEE ANYBODY WITHOUT A SMILE.
OH, WELL, THANK YOU JUDGE BR KEEPS SOMEONE BACK.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE THE FIRE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.
I BELIEVE CHIEF ROONEY WILL MAKE THE INTRODUCTION, UM, AND HE'S PROBABLY THE ONE PERSON, UH, MORE HAPPY THAN ME ABOUT A RECENT HIRE, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE CHIEF.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR NEW SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST.
IT'S SPELLED ZIPPRICH, BUT IT'S PRONOUNCED ZIPPRICH
KRISTEN BRINGS NEARLY TWO DECADES OF, UH, PROGRESSIVELY RESPONSIBLE EXPERIENCE IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, FINANCE, AND OPERATIONS.
SHE MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF GOODYEAR.
WE GOT HER
PRIOR TO THAT, AS A MANAGEMENT, AN ASSISTANT AND HR ANALYST FOR THE CITY OF GOODYEAR, LEADING PROCE PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS INITIATIVES, OVERSEEING DEPARTMENTAL
[00:05:01]
BUDGETS, IMPLEMENTING PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, AND SUPPORTING LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AND CITYWIDE PROGRAMS. KRISTEN ALSO BRINGS PRIVATE SECTOR LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AS AN OPERATIONS MANAGER AND HR MANAGER, WHERE SHE OVERSAW FINANCE, HUMAN RESOURCES, IT, ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS ENGINEERING FOR ENGINEERING FIRMS. SHE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND PUBLIC AGENCY MANAGEMENT FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, YAY.AND IS A CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER, UM, PROFESSIONAL IN HUMAN RESOURCES AND A-P-S-H-R-A CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL.
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT IS.
SHE ESPECIALLY APPRECIATES ARIZONA SUNSHINE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY OUTDOORS YEAR ROUND.
SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO EXPANDING HER TRAVELS AND APPROACHES LIFE WITH THE SAME INTENTIONAL, AND THAT WAY SHE WRITES A GREAT INTENTIONALITY AND DEDICATION SHE BRINGS TO HER WORK.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO, UH, WE FOUND OUT SHE JUST STARTED LIKE A WEEK OR TWO AGO, AND LAST WEEK SHE HAD HER BIRTHDAY, SO I'D LIKE TO WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
ALSO, MY, UH, MARY, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO FILL THIS POSITION, BUT WE DID NOT SETTLE.
WE GOT THE BEST PERSON OUT THERE AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED.
WELL, KRISTEN, WELCOME ABOARD.
WE'VE HEARD YOUR BIO, BY THE WAY, CHIEF.
THE ILLUSION IS GONE NOW, SO WE ALL NOW KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T WRITE THAT
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO ILLUSION.
I TOLD HER HER JOB IS TO MAKE ME LOOK LIKE A GENIUS, AND SHE'S GOT HER WORK CUT OUT THERE,
OKAY, WELL, WELCOME TO THE TEAM.
BUT KRISTEN, SO I HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEING OUTDOORS AND CAMPING, SO WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO, UH, DO THE CAMPING WITHIN THE STATE? SO, NORMALLY WE LIKE TO GO UP NORTH, SO ANYWHERE ON THE RIM FACING PRESCOTT.
UM, WE JUST WENT TO A CAMPING TRIP IN ALAMO, SO THAT'S THE, UH, COOLER MONTHS.
SEEMS LIKE THE NORTHERN, THE RIM AREA IS PRETTY, UH, PRETTY POPULAR WITH A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT WELL, WELCOME TO THE TEAM.
AND AS CHIEF SAID, WE, WE DIDN'T SETTLE.
SO, AND WITH THE BIO THAT WE'VE JUST HEARD, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERIENCE AND WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BRING TO THE CITY.
SO THANKS FOR JOINING THE TEAM.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, OR I BELIEVE, OH, ACTUALLY, IT'S EDITH, OUR, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HERE TO PRESENT A FEW OF HER NEW EMPLOYEES.
SO, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM HERE THIS EVENING, UH, TO PROVIDE A VIDEO OF SIX OF OUR NEWEST EMPLOYEES.
UM, THEY WORK ALL HOURS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, AND SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET THEM HERE.
UH, BUT THEY ENDED UP DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF INTRODUCING THEMSELVES.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PLAY THAT FOR YOU.
ROSA, OZ, AND I AM THE NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY SERVICES SPECIALIST HERE AT ARIZONA COMPLETE HEALTH AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER.
AND MY ROLE IS TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT AND INDIVIDUALIZED CUSTOMER SERVICE TO ANYONE WHO'S WALKING THROUGH OUR DOORS.
I AM ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE GREAT PROGRAMMING HERE AT THE AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE IN THIS POSITION AND TO BE EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY OF ABBOT.
I ALIGN VERY DEEPLY WITH THE CORE VALUES OF THE CITY, OF BEING KIND, HELPFUL, AND PROFESSIONAL.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN HERE IS INNOVATION.
I'VE SEEN GROWTH AND A REALLY DEEP COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED AND PROUD TO BE A PART OF.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MITCHELL PANIA.
I'M A SENIOR SERVICE COORDINATOR, UM, FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
UM, PART OF MY ROLE IS TO HELP COORDINATE SERVICES FOR THE SENIORS.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE ACTIVITIES ARE HELPING WITH OR PARTICIPATING IN CHAIR, EXERCISE, LINE DANCING OR VOLLEYBALL.
AND MY FAVORITE PART FOR WORKING, UM, IN THIS DEPARTMENT IS THAT IT'S AN AVONDALE RESIDENT I CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HELLO, I'M ALEJANDRO NAVARRO, ONE OF THE SENIOR SERVICES COORDINATOR.
AS PART OF MY JOB, I GET TO EXPLOIT MY CREATIVITY BY CREATING CRAFTS, PRESENTATIONS, SERVICES, AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR OUR SENIORS TO MAKE THEM HAPPY AND KEEP THEM ACTIVE.
I FEEL VERY BLESSED TO BE PART OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
IT'S NOT JUST AS LOGAN, BUT OUR MISSION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WELL, MY NAME IS ANGELIQUE AND
[00:10:01]
I WORK HERE AT THE AVONDALE RESOURCE CENTER.I AM THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, MY JOB IS TO WELCOME EVERYBODY IN.
I LOVE MY JOB 'CAUSE I GET TO HELP PEOPLE FIND RESOURCES THAT BENEFIT THEM AND THEIR LIVES.
I AM A SENIOR SERVICES COORDINATOR, SO I CREATE PROGRAMS THAT, UM, HELP SENIORS STAY ACTIVE AND ENGAGED.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I CREATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO, UM, HELP WITH SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS.
I ENJOY WORKING WITH THE OLDER ADULTS JUST BECAUSE THEY KEEP US ACTIVE AND THEY KEEP US VERY ENTERTAINED.
MY NAME IS ADRIAN GOMEZ FLORES.
I AM A SENIORS PROGRAM ASSISTANT WORKING AT THE SENIOR SERVICES I HERE AT CITY ADO.
UH, WHAT I LIKE DOING EVERY DAY, WHICH IS COMING, COMMUNICATING WITH THE SENIORS, BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SENIORS, AND JUST LIKE GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, HELPING THEM WHAT IN ANY WAY I CAN.
AND THEN JUST PROVIDING THAT EXCELLENT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
EVERYBODY PRESENTING AND ALL THE NEW EMPLOYEES FOR JOINING US ON NEXT
[b. Proclamation - Procurement Month]
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY JILL, YOUR PROCUREMENT MANAGER, PROCLAIMING I BELIEVE THIS MONTH, UH, UH, PROCUREMENT MONTH.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JOE LING, THIS CITY'S PROCUREMENT MANAGER.
AND THIS IS THE TEAM THAT SUPPORTS PROCUREMENT FUNCTION FOR ALL 20 CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, LET THEM INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.
I'M LAURA ROBINSON, PROCUREMENT OFFICER, SENIOR BUYER BRIAN GARCIA, SENIOR BUYER.
IT IS OUR PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT THIS YEAR'S PROCUREMENT MONTH PROCLAMATION SINCE 1984.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENTAL PURCHASING HAS DESIGNATED MARCH AS PROCUREMENT MONTH TO HONOR THOSE WHO SAFEGUARD TAXPAYER RESOURCES WHILE ADVANCING EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR PROCUREMENT TEAM HAS MODERNIZED OUR PROCESSES FROM IMPLEMENTING ENHANCED CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE TRACKING TO STREAMLINING SURPLUS PROPERTY DISPOSAL PROCEDURES.
WE HAD NAVIGATED COMPLEX PROJECTS FROM PARKING IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES WHILE ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH ARIZONA, UH, STATUTE AND MAINTAINING OUR COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
OUR WORK DEPENDS ON STRONG PARTNERSHIP, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY ATTORNEYS, THE CLERK'S, OFFICE, FINANCE AND BUDGET RISK MANAGEMENT, AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WE WORK WITH DAILY.
YOUR PARTNERSHIP ENABLE US TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY EFFECTIVELY.
AS WE CELEBRATE PROCUREMENT MONTH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR WORK IS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP, INTEGRITY, AND BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY THROUGH THOUGHTFUL USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES.
AT THIS TIME I WILL PASS IT BACK TO YOU FOR THE READING OF THE PROCLAMATION.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO WILL BE READING THE PROCLAMATION, I'M SORRY, THE PROCLAMATION FOR PROCUREMENT MONTH.
WHEREAS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENTAL PURCHASING NIGP HAS PROCLAIMED MARCH AS A PROCUREMENT MONTH TO RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS PLAY IN GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE PROCUREMENT DIVISION SERVES THE CITY OF AVONDALE THROUGH STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, MARKET RESEARCH, STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION, USING TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION AND BEST PRACTICES.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE NATION COLLECTIVELY INFLUENCE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THROUGH STRATEGIC PURCHASING ACTIONS WHILE SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC FUNDS AND ENSURING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
AND WHEREAS THE PROCUREMENT DIVISION DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE THROUGH ADHERENCE TO PUBLIC PROCUREMENT VALUES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, ETHICS, IMPARTIALITY, PROFESSIONALISM, SERVICE, AND TRANSPARENCY.
AND NOW THEREFORE, ON BEHALF OF THE AVONDALE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, HEREBY CO PROCLAIMS MARCH, 2026 AS PROCUREMENT MONTH IN AVONDALE AND URGES ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS IN PROMOTING EFFICIENCY, TRANSPARENCY,
[00:15:01]
AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PUBLIC SPENDING.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND, UH, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL AND, AND JILL AND TEAM, UH, WE WILL WANT PICTURES, UH, IF YOU GUYS COULD HANG OUT TILL AFTER THE, UH, UH, LAST SET OF PRESENTATIONS.
[c. Proclamation - Women's History Month]
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.I, I GET TO INTRODUCE ONE OF MY VERY OWN THERE.
UH, KATE GREGORY, YOUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR THE PROCLAMATION ON WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
THERE'S SOME GREAT PEOPLE UP THERE.
UM, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS AN OBER, AN ANNUAL OBSERVANCE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN TO HISTORY.
AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS LEAVING THE CHANGE WOMEN SHAPING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
AS WE RECOGNIZE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR SOME OF THE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WHO LEAD AND SERVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE A STRONG GROUP OF WOMEN LEADING IN OUR ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING MANY OF YOU WHO SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
YOUR DEDICATION, RESILIENCE, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, MAKES OUR ORGANIZATION STRONGER AND OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE NOT ONLY A TESTAMENT TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL TALENTS, BUT ARE ALSO TO THE POWER OF OPPORTUNITY, ENCOURAGEMENT AND BELIEF IN WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
EACH OF US STANDS ON THE SHOULDERS OF GENERATIONS BEFORE US, OF WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE US, AND THEIR LEGACY CONTINUES IN EACH ONE OF US WHO TAKES ON NEW ROLES, EMBRACES CHALLENGE, AND LEADS WITH PURPOSE IN OUR FIELDS.
THANK YOU FOR FOSTERING THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT.
THERE ARE FOLKS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, A LOT OF WOMEN, UM, IN OUR ORGANIZATION, AND I WOULD ASK THEM TO PLEASE STAND FOR A MOMENT.
MY, AND BECAUSE YOU'RE STANDING, YOU WILL ALSO BE COMING DOWN FOR A PICTURE
AND A PROCLAMATION IS READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, COUNCILOR GARCIA, WOMEN ROLLED THE WORLD THAT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT
WHEREAS WOMEN OF EVERY RACE, CLASS, CLASS AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND HAVE MADE HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GROWTH AND STRENGTH OF OUR NATION IN COUNTLESS RECORDED AND UNRECORDED WAYS, AND HAVE SERVED AS EARLY LEADERS IN OUR FOREFRONT OF EVERY MAJOR PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL CHANGE MOVEMENT.
AND WHEREAS WOMEN HAVE COURAGEOUSLY SERVED OUR COUNTRY IN THE MILITARY DEMONSTRATED VALOR, DEDICATION, AND SERVICE.
AND WHEREAS WOMEN HAVE BEEN LEADERS NOT ONLY IN SECURING THEIR OWN RIGHTS TO SUFFRAGE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO THE ABOLISHMENT MOVEMENT, THAT EMANCIPATION MOVEMENT AND THE INDUSTRIAL LABOR MOVEMENT, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND THE PIVOTAL MOMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE PEACE MOVEMENTS WHICH HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO CREATING A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE SOCIAL SOCIETY FOR ALL.
AND WHEREAS THE THEME OF WOMEN HISTORY MONTH 2026, LEADING THE CHANGE, WOMEN SHAPING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE CELEBRATES THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN WHO ARE LEADING SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS ACROSS ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL JU JUSTICE MOVEMENTS.
AND WHEREAS IT IS VITAL TO CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT AND CELEBRATE THESE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS, EVEN AS THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN HISTORY HAVE OFTEN BEEN OVERLOOKED IN LITERATURE, TEACHING AND STUDYING OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I NOT MIKE PINEDA, JEANETTE GARCIA, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH, 2026 AS WOMAN HISTORY MONTH AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTION WOMEN HAVE MADE TO THE UNITED STATES AND RECOGNIZE SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS WOMEN HAVE MADE THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, KATIE.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE WHILE ALL OF THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME ON UP AND, UM, I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY.
[d. Good Samaritan Recognition]
PLEASE.THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UP NEXT, UH, IS OUR POLICE CHIEF, UH, CHIEF ESPINOZA, AND I BELIEVE HE HAS SOME OTHER COMMAND STAFF THAT ARE GONNA COME UP, UH, INTRODUCE, WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, SOME GOOD
[00:20:01]
SAMARITANS, UH, FROM OUR COMMUNITY.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM.
AND THEY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SAFE RETURN OF 3-YEAR-OLD KEHLANI ROGERS.
UH, TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THIS CASE AND TO TELL YOU THE SPECIFICS ABOUT THE ACTIONS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT CHIEF BATES.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND CITY COUNCIL.
LIKE CHIEF SAID, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMUNITY AND AVENDALE POLICE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT.
A SUMMARY OF THE INCIDENT ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 3-YEAR-OLD KEHLANI ROGERS WAS REPORTED MISSING FROM HER HOME NEAR HUNDRED 18TH AVENUE AND THOMAS ROAD.
WHAT BEGAN IS A MISSING PERSONS REPORT QUICKLY ESCALATED INTO MULTI-AGENCY SEARCH AND ISSUANCE OF A STATEWIDE AMBER ALERT THROUGH DILIGENT INVESTIGATION, WHICH INCLUDED NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASSING FOR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, EXTENSIVE INTERVIEWS, VEHICLE SEARCHES, AND FOLLOWING UP ON NUMEROUS COMMUNITY TIPS, DETECTIVES WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SUSPECT IN THIS CASE.
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE CONFIRMED THE SUSPECT WAS SEEN WITH KEHLANI IN THE CITY OF MARICOPA EARLIER IN THAT DAY.
THE INVESTIGATION TOOK A CRITICAL TURN ON SUNDAY MORNING AT A QUICKTRIP GAS STATION NEAR 27TH AVENUE IN THOMAS ROAD IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA, A QT SECURITY GUARD, SKYLAR EMMONS RECOGNIZED KEHLANI AND THE SUSPECT FROM THE AMBER ALERT, THE GUARD IMMEDIATELY ALERTED EIGHT EMPLOYEES FROM CAMELBACK MOVING INC.
WHO ARE KOBE BROWN, CHRISTOPHER DIXON, HERARDO GIA, ROB HERNANDEZ, KEVIN KIMES, MICHAEL MCCALLUM, KEVIN PACE, AND RALPH VERMER, WHO WERE ON SITE, ON SITE AT THE TIME, RECOGNIZING THE PAIR AND THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION.
THESE EIGHT INDIVIDUALS TOOK IMMEDIATE AND DECISIVE ACTION.
THEY USED THEIR MOVING TRUCK TO PHYSICALLY BLOCK THE VEHICLE.
KEHLANI WAS IN PREVENTING ANY CHANCE OF DEPARTURE WHILE THEY CONTACTED THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE OF THIS QUICK THINKING AND BRAVE COORDINATION, KALANI WAS FOUND SAFE IN GOOD HEALTH AND REUNITED WITH HER FAMILY.
LATER THAT MORNING, THE SUSPECT WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS BOOKED ON FELONY CHARGES.
THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF A VIGILANT COMMUNITY AND THE SEAMLESS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PUBLIC, THE MEDIA, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO AT THIS TIME, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU DOWN TO RECOGNIZE THESE GOODS AND EVIDENCE.
WE CAN PASS OUT THESE, UH, PIECES OF INFORMATION HERE.
FIRST UP, WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE QT GUARDIAN SECURITY, SKYLER EMMONDS.
NEXT, WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CAMELBACK MOVING INC.
SEE KEVIN PLACE WITH CAMELBACK MOVING INK AND RALPH VOLMER WITH KABECK MOVING INC.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT.
UH, FROM CAMELBACK MOVING, WHICH WERE KOBE BROWN, CHRISTOPHER DIXON, ROB HERNANDEZ, KEVIN KIMES, AND MICHAEL MCCALLUM.
SO MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO ALSO CALL UP THE FOLLOWING AVONDALE POLICE EMPLOYEES.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY A FEW WORDS, REFERENCE THIS, REFERENCE THIS INCIDENT.
THE FIRST RESPONDING OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THIS WAS NOT YOUR NORMAL MISSING PERSON CALL.
THEY TOOK ACTION TO BEGIN GETTING ON ALL RESOURCES THAT, THAT WE WOULD NEED THAT DAY.
THIS STARTED WITH A CALL OUT TO OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU AND THE NOTIFICATION OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
ONCE THE DETAILS OF THIS INCIDENT WERE GATHERED, RESOURCES FROM THROUGHOUT
[00:25:01]
THE VALLEY BEGAN TO MOBILIZE IMMEDIATELY.THIS INVESTIGATION WAS ACTIVELY MANNED FOR WELL OVER 24 HOURS.
EVEN AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL REUNIFICATION OF KALANI WITH HER FAMILY, IT DID NOT END.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT IS WHEN ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK IS DONE WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
EACH ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES PLAYED A VALUABLE ROLE IN THIS INVESTIGATION FROM TRAFFIC CONTROL, INTERVIEWING THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED, WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES TO FOLLOW UP ON LEADS, WRITING REPORTS, TO EVEN BRINGING OUT THE COMMAND VAN TO HAVE A PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO WORK.
IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE RAPID RESPONSE OF EVERYONE INVOLVED, THIS COULD HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL OUT THE FOLLOWING AVONDALE POLICE EMPLOYEES TO BE RECOGNIZED.
COULD I HAVE DANIEL BENAVIDES, RONALD BERGERON, RYAN DODGE, NICK GONZALEZ, DUSTIN GREENWOOD.
JOSE HERNANDEZ, MATTHEW HINTS, LINDA CARROLL, ANDREW MARTIN, AARON METZKER, WILLIAM PENNY, DANIELLE, BO, DESTINY, ROSAS, AND TOBY'S STORY.
DID I MISS ANYBODY THAT'S NOT, THAT'S HERE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
THERE WAS DEREK ALBANO, JOSHUA SCHAEFFER, DAVID GARCIA, JENNIFER BERGER, FRANCISCO CARDENAS, JENNY CHAVEZ.
JENNY LUCAS, LUCAS CONNORS, BRANDY DACHER, JOSEPH DELPO, DE POSO, JC DUNEY, ALBERT ESCOBIDO, JEFFREY FEL, JOHN HORTON RE, JAIME DEDRICK JONES, JORDAN MAMO, MEGAN NEIGHBORS, ALFONSO ROMANI, JAR REDFORD, MANUEL RIOS, DEVONTE, SCOTT THEREA, SCOTT, ROBERT TOLAS, BURTON VAN RZ, JEFF VAUGHN, JOSHUA WHEATLEY, AND BRENNAN ZEER.
SO THANK YOU TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND.
OH, OH, I'M GONNA TRY TO, I KNOW
IF I CAN HAVE YOU COLLECTIVELY SQUEEZE IN SQUEEZE.
[00:34:00]
OH, NO, THEY WOULD'VE FIGURED IT OUT.AND, AND MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, WHILE WE'RE WAITING A SECOND, UM, WE DID ASK THE, UH, STAFF TO STICK AROUND JUST IN CASE YOU WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING TO THEM.
AND OF COURSE, OUR, UH, FINE HEROES OVER THERE ARE ARE STILL AROUND FOR COUNCIL TO ADDRESS IF OF COURSE, IF THEY WOULD LIKE.
WE DO HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WE'RE WE'RE WAITING FOR.
SO SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL SHE RETURNS? I'LL LET YOU MAKE THAT DECISION.
I KNOW YOU GUYS PROBABLY ARE READY TO GET OUTTA HERE.
WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, CHIEFS CHIEF.
BUT ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED, I MEAN, THIS WAS A STORY THAT RIGHT AWAY, I KNOW THAT WE WERE ALL, UM, PROVIDED UPDATES ALONG THE WAY.
YOU KNOW, MUCH OF THE STATE, UH, WAS ALSO, UH, INVESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT
[00:35:01]
WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH, UH, WITH THIS YOUNG GIRL AND THE STORY SURROUNDED BY IT.AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAYBE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL WOULD WANNA MAKE THAT MAYBE THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IN REGARDS TO THIS CASE.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S SENSITIVE BECAUSE THE CASE IS ONGOING, SO, UH, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WELL.
BUT, UM, THIS JUST A TESTAMENT.
AND I, I, I DON'T MEAN TO GO FIRST, BUT SINCE I'M TALKING, I'LL, I'LL GO FIRST.
IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT AGAIN TO COMMUNITY.
YOU FOLKS, AS YOU MENTIONED, STEPPED IN.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT MOVED YOU TO DO SO, IF IT WAS JUST KIND OF, LET'S, LET'S ACT, LET'S, LET'S DO THIS NOW.
BUT REGARDLESS, I MEAN, IT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE COMMUNITY GETS INVOLVED, WHEN YOU GET INVOLVED, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN.
BUT NONETHELESS, YOU GUYS DECIDED TO ACT.
UM, AND FOR THAT, UH, WE THANK YOU, THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S NICE TO KNOW, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY DID THE COMMUNITY STEP IN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S REINFORCED BY, BY CITY STAFF AND BY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO, WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE DUTY, UH, TO HELP A, A YOUNG GIRL IN NEED.
AND SO I'LL STEP OUT OF THE WAY AND TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL COUNCIL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, WE'LL START ON THIS SIDE AND WORK OUR WAY THIS WAY.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILOR MEDI.
UM, I JUST WANNA JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, BUT ALSO TOO, FOR THE, JUST THE REGULAR CITIZENS THAT ARE NOW CONSIDERED HEROES.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, STEPPING UP AND, UM, DOING WHAT YOU DID.
THANKS TO YOU AND EVERYONE, THERE'S A LITTLE GIRL THAT'S HOME SAFE TODAY.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. GARCIA.
IT IS THE WORST FEAR FOR A MOTHER TO HEAR THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE HER CHILD AT HOME.
AND WHAT YOU GUYS DID IS JUST SO HEROIC.
BUT ALSO WHAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE DOING IS STEPPING UP WHEN THESE SITUATIONS HAPPEN.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DID.
AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT IN MY HEART.
AND I PRAY THAT THE LORD JUST PROTECTS YOU GUYS MOVING FORWARD.
AND HE JUST GIVES YOU THE FRUIT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO A FAMILY AND THEY HAVE THEIR CHILD HOME TODAY.
AND TO OUR OFFICERS, YOU GUYS ALWAYS DO REMARKABLE.
LOOK AT THIS BIG TEAM TO FIND A LITTLE GIRL LIKE YOU GUYS STEPPED UP AS USUAL, BUT SHE'S HOME BECAUSE IT TOOK ALL OF US, EVERYONE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS IN THAT PICTURE, YOU GUYS TO BRING HER HOME.
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
WE LOVE YOU GUYS, AND WE REALLY DO PRAY OVER YOU GUYS EVERY DAY AND HOPE THAT YOU GUYS GET HOME SAFE.
AND THAT WE JUST REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE HARD THINGS, SEEING THE HARD THINGS.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO GO HOME TO YOUR WIVES OR YOUR HUSBANDS OR YOUR PARTNERS AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH SUCH HEAVY STUFF, BUT THERE'S A LITTLE GIRL HOME TODAY AND WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THAT.
WE'LL JUST COME BACK THIS WEEK, OKAY? THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.
UM, MEMO, UM, JONATHAN AND BATES, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE OFFICERS, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, I GOT TEXT MESSAGES FROM, UM, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, JUST COMMENDING THE COHESION OF THE EVANDALE PD.
I THINK YOU GUYS MOVE AS ONE ORGANIZATION.
IT'S LIKE EACH OF YOU ARE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE, BUT IT'S LIKE THE HANDS, THE FINGERS, THE WRISTS, THE ANKLES, THE TOES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S THAT MUCH COORDINATION THROUGHOUT, UM, ARIZONA IN ONE AGENCY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S THAT MUCH COORDINATION THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY IN ONE AGENCY.
SO AVONDALE PD, UM, YOU ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB, EVEN STANDING OUTSIDE THIS WEEKEND, UM, AT TRACE REELS.
PEOPLE KEPT COMING UP THANKING ME, AND I SAID, I, I REALLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
THEY'RE LIKE, BUT NO, YOU GUYS SUPPORT THEM.
AND SO PLEASE KNOW, UM, YOU, YOU, YOU GUYS CAME TO A VULNERABLE DAD AT A MOMENT WHERE HE COULDN'T FIND HIS BABY.
AND I, I JUST KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'M DADDY'S GIRL.
AND EVEN THOUGH HE RESTS IN PEACE RIGHT NOW, THAT IS A VERY AWFUL FEELING TO TURN AROUND AND NOT FIND YOUR KID AND, AND KNOW THAT YOUR KID IS NOT WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AT THAT MOMENT.
SO, UM, YOU ALL HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
YOU MAKE US PROUD EACH AND EVERY DAY.
BUT YOU, YOU'RE NOT DOING IT FOR THE RECOGNITION.
THIS IS BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR YOU EVERY DAY.
YOU GO ABOVE AND BEYOND EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE FIRST, UM, TO BE SOMEBODY WHO CALLS AVONDALE HOME.
BUT TO HAVE YOUR REPRESENTATION.
AND PLEASE KNOW THERE IS NOT A PLACE OR SPACE IN THIS, IN THIS COUNTRY.
ANYBODY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVELY ABOUT YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW THE WORK YOU DO, AND I KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE.
YOU REPRESENT US WELL, AND YOU BROUGHT THAT GIRL HOME.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER WEISS.
WELL, THIS IS THE OUTCOME THAT WE ALL PRAY FOR, RIGHT? ANYTIME THERE'S AN AMBER ALERT.
AND THIS IS JUST AN AT TESTAMENT TO YOUR, UM, QUICK THINKING AND YOUR COURAGE FOR STEPPING UP, AND THEN TO OUR WONDERFUL STAFF WHO ALWAYS GO ABOVE AND
[00:40:01]
BEYOND.SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS GIRL HOME AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE REALLY, UM, HAPPY AND AND PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME.
AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF YOU GUYS FOR ALL THAT YOU DID.
AND THEN SOME THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS ON THE POLICE FORCE.
UH, A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE, UH, PHONE CALL, THE REVERSE PHONE CALLS THAT COMES IN.
'CAUSE THAT'S FAIRLY VALUABLE.
I KNOW I WAS AT A CITY FUNCTION WHEN WE WERE AT THE RESOURCE CENTER.
WHEN THAT COM CAME IN, PEOPLE'S PHONES STARTED RINGING, YOU KNOW, CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S ONE WAY TO CAPTURE ATTENTION.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, HAVING THAT TYPE OF PROGRAM TO LET EMPLOY, TO LET NOT ONLY EMPLOYEES, BUT LET CITIZENS KNOW THAT THERE'S A CHILD THAT'S MISSING OR THERE MIGHT BE AN ELDERLY PERSON MISSING.
AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS SPEAK TRUE TO AVONDALE, THAT WE CARE ABOUT.
EVERYONE THANK YOU TO THE MOVING COMPANY, CAMELBACK MOVING COMPANY.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW A LOT OF THAT CULTURE.
YOU GUYS ARE NOT JUST EVERYDAY CITIZENS.
BUT THAT EVERYDAY CULTURE IS TAUGHT TO YOU AT WORK.
AND YOU GUYS REALLY TOOK THAT ABOVE AND BEYOND.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED.
UM, I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUDER TO LIVE HERE AS A RESIDENT, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER.
WHITE SAID FIRST, BUT EVEN TO SEE IT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
I KNOW OUR CONGRESSWOMAN SHARED HOW PROUD SHE WAS THAT EVERYONE GOT HER HOME.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, APPRECIATE OR GIVE MY APPRECIATION TO THE COORDINATION EFFORTS, THE NUMBER OF NAMES THAT YOU READ OFF FOR THE POLICE, THE NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED.
YOU DON'T GET THAT COORDINATION VERY MUCH ANYMORE THESE DAYS.
IT'S LIKE, I WANNA STAY BACK AND DON'T DO ANYTHING.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU WOKE UP THAT MORNING, EXCUSE ME, AND SAID, TODAY I'M GONNA BE A HERO.
YOU ALL KEPT THAT MORNING SAYING, I'M GONNA DO MY JOB THE WAY THAT I KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR YOU TO COME TOGETHER TO SAVE THAT LIFE, YOU PUT WHATEVER WORK YOU NEEDED TO DO BY IT SIDE AND WENT OUT AND COORDINATED YOUR EFFORTS TO DO WHATEVER YOU NEEDED TO DO.
AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I CAN SAY IS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, THIS IS HISTORY FOR YOU.
YOU NEED TO PUT THAT DOWN IN A WRITTEN FORM OR SOME VOCAL FORM TO PASS ON TO YOUR KIDS AND YOUR KIDS' KIDS SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY SOMEDAY TO DO JUST WHAT YOU'VE DID BECAUSE DAD DID IT.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, AS YOU HEARD, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO HAS HAD A PART, UH, IN THIS STORY HERE.
AND, UM, UH, YOU, YOU HEARD ALL OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED.
SO ONCE AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF US, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
I KNOW YOU DON'T DO IT, UH, TO BE CALLED A HERO, BUT THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A RESULT OF JUST STEPPING IN AND DOING WHAT'S RIGHT.
CAN WE GIVE ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE? CARE.
[3. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES]
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES.ARE THERE ANY OTHER BLUE CARDS OR ANYTHING ELSE MARCELLA, ASIDE FROM THIS ONE? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL REQUEST TO SPEAK.
SO AT THIS MOMENT, CAN I PLEASE HAVE RHONDA BILL COME AND SPEAK? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PINETA, VICE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL STAFF, AVONDALE RESIDENTS AND FRIENDS.
UH, I AM RHONDA BELL, UH, CHAIR OF THE AVONDALE MUNICIPAL ART COMMITTEE, SECOND TERM AND AN AVONDALE AMBASSADOR.
I AM HERE TODAY TO PROMOTE OUR SENIOR ART SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST.
PERHAPS YOU'VE SEEN THE FLYERS, AND IF YOU HAVE NOT, UH, PLEASE CONTACT ME OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PARKS AND REC OR MUNICIPAL ART COMMITTEE AND WE CAN MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU DO GET A FLYER.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR A CALL TO ACTION, A CALL FOR ARTWORK.
OUR CONTEST, OR THE ACTUAL EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 8TH.
SO PLEASE KEEP THAT DATE IN MIND.
BUT, UH, THIS IS OUR SUBMISSION WINDOWS WHERE WE CALL THE ARTISTS, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY SUBMISSIONS.
SO I HAVE ONE ASK, ONE CALL TO ACTION, ONE THING IN THE AIR FOR EVERYONE.
[00:45:01]
YOU TO AT LEAST MENTION THE CONTEST, UH, SPREAD THE WORD.WE WANT TO, WE NEED HELP GETTING THE WORD OUT.
OUR TARGET AUDIENCE, HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS.
SO ANY SENIOR GRADUATING FROM AN AVONDALE ART, I MEAN HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN ANY, UH, AVONDALE RESIDENT.
IF THEY'RE JUST A RESIDENT, UH, OF AVONDALE, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE.
OR IF THEY GO TO AN AVONDALE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE.
JUST WANT, UH, YOU GUYS, UH, TO, UM, WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIRST OF ALL GET THE WORD OUT.
AND SECOND OF ALL, INVITE YOU.
I WILL BE BACK ONE MORE TIME BEFORE OUR EVENT, BUT AGAIN, WE DO NEED A CALL FOR ART.
CALL FOR ARTISTS TO PARTICIPATE.
AGAIN, THE DATE IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8TH FOR THE ACTUAL EVENT, AND THEN THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MARCH 12TH, NEXT FRIDAY.
PROPERLY, WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A GREAT SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
NUMBER FOUR IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WISH TO HAVE AN ITEM REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION? C AND NONE, CAN I PLEASE GET A MOTION? GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO.
A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE, CAN YOU PLEASE VOTE? ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[a. Police Department Update]
RON, NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.AND COUNCIL, NOW WE, I GET TO HEAR FROM OUR CHIEF AGAIN, CHIEF ESPINOZA WILL GIVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, TODAY WE WILL BE GIVING YOU A, AN UPDATE OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DURING OUR PRESENTATION, WE'RE GONNA COVER FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, SUBJECTS.
FIRST, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR 2025, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A HIRING UPDATE FOR 2025.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA PROVIDE YOU CRIME STATISTICS FOR 2025.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES FOR 2026.
WE'LL START WITH OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE FIRST, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THEY ARE BIG TICKET ITEMS FOR US, AND, UH, THEY WOULD NOT BE A REALITY IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE'LL START WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2025, WE OPENED THE EXPANSION OF OUR COMM CENTER, WHICH ADDED MUCH NEEDED EXTRA SPACE AND UPDATED TECHNOLOGY.
OUR NEXT ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, IS OUR K UH, CANINE TRAINING CENTER, WHICH OPENED ON JULY 23RD OF, UH, 2025.
AND IT BROUGHT US, UH, STATE-OF-THE-ART, UH, TRAINING AREAS AND KENNELS TO HOUSE OUR CANINE PARTNERS.
THE NEXT GROUP OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS, UH, A WELLNESS PROGRAM.
UH, OUR WELLNESS PERFORMANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A CONSULTATION.
THIS IS OFFERED TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, SWORN AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
AND, UH, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO, UH, PARTICIPATE, THEY GET A CONSULTATION WITH A COACH.
THEY ALSO GET A, A BRAIN MAPPING WITH THE PURPOSE OF, UH, IMPROVING ATTENTION, MEMORY, EMOTIONAL CONTROL, STRESS MANAGEMENT, SLEEP, AND OVERALL MENTAL CLARITY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, WE FORMALIZED OUR CHAPLAIN PROGRAM.
UH, HISTORICALLY WE HAD ONE TO TWO CHAPLAINS.
UH, HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT VERY ACTIVE.
WE WOULD ASK 'EM TO DO THINGS HERE AND THERE.
WE FORMALIZED THAT, UH, PROGRAM IN 2025.
AND THE PURPOSE OF DOING THAT IS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
HISTORICALLY, WHEN WE HAD TO DO A, UH, DEATH NOTIFICATION OF SOMETHING, UH, UNEXPECTED, UH, A DEATH, UH, NOTIFICATION, UH, OF, AGAIN, UNEXPECTED, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, AN ACCIDENT OR A HOMICIDE, UH, WE WOULD HAVE OUR OFFICERS GO DO THAT, UH, NOTIFICATION, ALTHOUGH WE PROVIDE THAT TRAINING TO OUR OFFICERS, WE'RE NOT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
SO NOW BY ADDING, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, CHAPLAINS TO OUR PROGRAM, WHEN WE HAVE TO DO A DEATH NOTIFICATION, WE'LL ASK ONE OF OUR CHAPLAINS WHO ARE PART OF OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO COME ALONG AND MAKE THAT NOTIFICATION.
IF I CAN QUICKLY GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE.
ABOUT, UH, FIVE, SIX MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A YOUNG AIRMAN THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A, A FATAL ACCIDENT.
UM, WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED, UH, ONE OF OUR CHAPLAINS, AND HE WAS ABLE TO RESPOND WITH ONE OF OUR OFFICERS TO MEET THE YOUNG WIDOW AND, UH, MAKE THAT DEATH NOTIFICATION.
OUR OFFICER AND THAT CHAPLAIN, THEY STAYED, UH, ON SITE WITH, UH, WITH A WIDOW UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO PUT HER IN CONTACT WITH OTHER RESOURCES BY, UH, LUKE AIR FORCE BASE AND IN CONTACT WITH HER FAMILY.
THE, UH, NEXT ACCOMPLISHMENT IS
[00:50:01]
ADVANCED LEADERSHIP TRAINING.UH, THIS WAS OFFERED TO ALL OF OUR SUPERVISORS.
IN ADDITION TO OUR, UH, FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS, UH, THE, UH, TRAINING CONSISTED OF, UH, DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS, MANAGING TEAMS, STRATEGIC THINKING, AND, UH, OVERALL, UH, LEADERSHIP.
THE, UH, NEXT ACCOMPLISHMENT IS THE TRANSITION OF OUR PORTABLE RADIAL, UH, REPLACEMENT.
OUR OLD RADIOS WERE OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY WITH THE NEW RADIO, NEW RADIOS, WHICH WE AGAIN IMPLEMENTED.
UH, IN 2025, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FEATURES THAT ARE UNIQUE TO, UH, THESE NEW RADIOS.
ONE OF THOSE FEATURES IS CALLED THE SMART CONNECT.
SO WITH OUR OLD RADIOS, THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU WOULD BE IN A REMOTE AREA OF OUR CITY, AND, UH, YOU HAD POOR SIGNAL.
SO IF THAT OFFICER TRIED TO GET OUT, UH, ON THEIR PORTABLE RADIO, THERE'S TIMES THAT, THAT YOU HAD ISSUES AGAIN, TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH COM.
WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS, UH, BUREAU.
WITH THIS, UH, WITH THESE NEW RADIOS, UH, THE RADIOS, WHEN THEY RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE IN A POOR SIGNAL AREA, THEY IMMEDIATELY START LOOKING FOR A, UM, A RADIO TOWER, AND THEY'LL CONNECT TO THAT RADIO TOWER.
AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES.
UH, WITH, UH, CONNECTING WITH OUR COM CENTER.
IN FACT, WITH THESE, UH, NEW RADIOS, WE'RE ABLE TO CONNECT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE AND NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES.
THE OTHER GREAT THING ABOUT THESE NEW RADIOS IS WHAT THEY CALL THAT SMART PROGRAMMING.
HISTORICALLY, ONCE A YEAR, WE WOULD REPROGRAM OUR RADIOS THAT, UH, REQUIRED OUR OFFICERS TO BRING IN THEIR, THEIR RADIOS.
OUR STAFF WOULD, UH, WORK ON THE RADIOS, REPROGRAM THEM, AND THEN GIVE 'EM BACK TO OUR OFFICERS.
THAT PROCESS COULD TAKE ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR WEEKS WITH THESE NEW RADIOS, UH, WE CAN DO THAT JUST BY HITTING A SWITCH.
SO TIME SAVING, UH, IT IS ONE OF THE, UH, BENEFITS OF THIS NEW, UH, PROGRAM.
AND FINALLY, UH, THE, UH, ONE THING THAT WE REALLY LOVE ABOUT, UH, THESE RADIOS IS THAT THEY HAVE GPS.
THIS IS AN OFFICER SAFETY, UH, BENEFIT TO OUR TEAM.
THE NEXT, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENT IS OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF GLENDALE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, WITH THROUGH THE RAIL CRIME CENTER, OUR STAFF AT THE CENTER, NOT ONLY AVONDALE STAFF, BUT ALSO GLENDALE STAFF, WE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR CITY CAMERAS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A CRIME IN PROGRESS, AND WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY JUMP ON THOSE CAMERAS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND TO PROVIDE, UH, REAL TIME CRIME DATA TO THOSE RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE, WE CAN DO SO, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, AGAIN, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GLENDALE, UH, REALTIME CRIME CENTER.
IF I CAN GIVE YOU A QUICK, UH, JUST EXAMPLE OF HOW WE UTILIZE THE REALTIME CRIME CENTER.
ABOUT, UH, SIX MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A HOMICIDE THAT HAPPENED IN THE AREA OF NINE NINTH AVENUE AND MCDOWELL, WHERE, UH, A SUSPECT WHO HAD ZERO CONNECTION TO OUR CITY.
THEY WERE JUST PASSING THROUGH.
UH, AND, UH, THAT INDIVIDUAL COMMITTED A HOMICIDE.
ALL WE HAD AT THE TIME, AS WE WERE RESPONDING TO THE CALL FOR SERVICE WAS A DESCRIPTION.
BY THE TIME THAT OUR OFFICERS ARRIVED ON SCENE, THAT SUSPECT WAS LONG GONE.
HOWEVER, OUR STAFF AND GLENDALE STAFF BACK AT THE, UH, REAL TIME CRIME CENTER WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE, THE CAMERAS AND LOCATE A SUBJECT THAT MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION AS THE SUBJECT KEPT ON WALKING AWAY FROM OUR CITY.
UH, OUR STAFF AT THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER FOLLOWED THE SUBJECT DIRECTED OFFICERS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
UH, THEY DETAINED HIM, AND EVENTUALLY THEY, UH, DEVELOPED PROBABLE CAUSE AND ENDED UP MAKING AN ARREST.
AND AGAIN, THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH AVONDALE.
WE BELIEVE THAT IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, WE WOULD'VE, UH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAKE AN ARREST.
THE, UH, NEXT TWO ITEMS YOU'RE VERY AWARE OF.
AND, UH, WE LOOK AT THESE ITEMS AS A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TOOL.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE TAKE, TAKE ON VEHICLE PROGRAM FOR OUR SWORN OFFICERS, ALTHOUGH YOU GUYS VOTED, UH, IN 2024 FOR THIS, UH, PROGRAM.
WE IMPLEMENTED THAT PROGRAM IN 2025, AND THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN A SUCCESS.
OUR STAFF, UH, LOVES THE PROGRAM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE UTILIZE THAT, UH, PROGRAM TO ATTRACT NEW TALENT.
THE SECOND ONE IS THE MIDYEAR MIDYEAR COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENT.
AGAIN, UH, YOUR TEAM VOTED, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM IN 2025.
HOWEVER, WE IMPLEMENTED THIS PROGRAM EARLY THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE TWO PROGRAMS. THEY BOTH HELP US WITH, UH, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UH, FOR 2025 ARE REVOLVING NEW POSITIONS.
UH, ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS IS OUR VICTIM ADVOCATE SUPERVISOR.
HISTORICALLY, WE HAD ONE TO TWO, UH, VICTIM ADVOCATES.
[00:55:01]
TYPICALLY MANAGED BY ONE OF OUR SERGEANTS.ONE OF OUR, UH, POLICE SERGEANTS IS THAT IS NOT THEIR EXPERTISE.
SO WE STARTED, UH, LOOKING INTO THE, UH, POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, A VICTIM ADVOCATE SUPERVISOR.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
UH, WE BROUGHT, UH, BRANDY, UH, WHO WE TOOK FROM, UH, THE CITY OF PHOENIX, AND SHE'S BEEN PHENOMENAL.
THE IDEA BEHIND THIS PROGRAM IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL, UH, VICTIM SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
IF I CAN, AGAIN, GIVE YOU A QUICK, UH, EXAMPLE WITH, UH, KIDNAPPING THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT.
WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED BRANDY AND SHE WAS ABLE TO RESPOND, UH, TO THE SCENE.
AND SHE WAS WITH THE FAMILY, NOT ONLY ON SATURDAY, BUT ALSO ON SUNDAY.
UH, THE OTHER NEW POSITION IS A SECOND DEDICATED FORENSIC INTERVIEWER FOR THE, UH, FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER.
UH, HISTORICALLY WE HAD JUST ONE, UH, FORENSIC INTERVIEWER THAT FORENSIC INTERVIEWER WAS DOING JUST UNDER 400, UM, INTERVIEWS A YEAR.
UH, THE AVERAGE FOR A FORENSIC INTERVIEWER IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 200 AND 250, UH, INTERVIEWS A YEAR.
SO AFTER LOOKING AT THE THE STATS, WE DECIDED TO ASK FOR A SECOND INTERVIEWER.
AND, UH, NOW THAT INDIVIDUAL IS HIRED AND READY TO, UH, GO AND HAS BEEN ASSISTING WITH, UH, INTERVIEWS.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE TOOK A SWORN OFFICER'S POSITION AND WE TURNED IT INTO A FULL-TIME RECRUITER'S, UH, POSITION.
THE IDEA BEHIND THAT IS THAT WE, UH, SET A GOAL FOR THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY UNDER, UH, HAVE OUR VACANCIES UNDER 5%, AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA UTILIZE THIS, UH, FULL-TIME RECRUITER TO GO OUT, CONTACT PEOPLE, UH, WHETHER IT'S INSTATE OR OUTSTATE, AND SHOWCASE OUR AGENCY.
AND, UH, THE IDEA IS TO BRING MORE APPLICANTS, UH, TO THE POOL OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT WE TEST ON A, ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS.
SO, UH, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT, UH, THIS INDIVIDUAL HERE IN A SECOND.
THE, UH, OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT IS ADDING, UH, WE ADDED TWO PATROL LIEUTENANTS.
UH, HISTORICALLY WE HAD FOUR PATROL LIEUTENANTS.
OUR REALITY IS THAT WE ARE A VERY, VERY YOUNG DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE VERY YOUNG OFFICERS BEING LED BY VERY YOUNG SERGEANTS.
THE IDEA BEHIND ADDING, UH, MORE LIEUTENANTS IS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES AND GUIDANCE TO OUR YOUNG STAFF.
ON THE SWORN SIDE, WE HIRED A TOTAL OF 21 INDIVIDUALS, THREE OF 'EM RETIRED, AND A TOTAL OF 11 SEPARATED FROM THE ORGANIZATION.
THOSE 11 INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, LEFT THE ORGANIZATION ON THE SWORN SIDE, WE LOST A MAJORITY DURING THE ACADEMY AND DURING OUR FIELD TRAINING OFFICER PROGRAM, A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, WE BRING 'EM ON BOARD.
WE TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THEM, UH, THE DIFFICULTIES OF THIS, UH, POSITION AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS POLICE OFFICERS.
AND, UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONCE THEY START THE ACADEMY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS NOT FOR ME.
OTHERS MAKE IT THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
THEY GRADUATE FROM THE ACADEMY.
THEY START THEIR FIELD TRAINING OFFICER PROGRAM AND REALITY HITS.
AND, UH, SOME OF THEM, UH, MOVE ON.
ON THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF SIDE.
UH, WE HIRED A TOTAL OF 14 INDIVIDUALS.
WE HAD ONE RETIREMENT AND 15 PEOPLE LEFT THE ORGANIZATION.
IN THE CASE OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE 15 PEOPLE THAT LEFT THE ORGANIZATION, THE MAJORITY WERE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, UH, SPECIALIST, ARE, UH, DISPATCHERS.
THIS JOB IS ALSO, UH, DIFFICULT.
THEY, UM, HAVE A DIFFICULT SCHEDULE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE COME ON BOARD AND THEY GO THROUGH THE TRAINING AND THEY MOVE.
THEY DECIDE THAT THAT'S NOT FOR THEM, AND THEY MOVE ON.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT IN COMMUNICATIONS THAT GO THROUGH THE TRAINING, THEY COME OFF PROBATION AND THEY'RE GOOD FOR THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE HERE TO STAY.
WE HAVE A SOLID GROUP OF, UH, SENIOR DISPATCHERS AT THIS TIME.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF BATES TO TALK ABOUT OUR CRIME STATS FOR 2025.
THANK YOU, CHIEF MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO I'VE GOT THE PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING OUR CRIME STATS FOR 2025.
UH, AND I'LL KIND OF WALK THROUGH WHAT THIS IS.
UM, NEIGHBORS IS A NATIONAL INCIDENT BASED REPORTING SYSTEM.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS EVERYBODY THAT, UH, REPORTS REPORTS IN THE SAME MANNER.
SO, OUR GROUP A, WHICH WE HAVE LISTED HERE, CONSISTS OF THREE CATEGORIES, CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS, CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY AND CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY.
SO WE'LL START OFF WITH THE CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
[01:00:01]
IN 2025, WE ENDED OUR YEAR BEING 11.25% HIGHER COMPARED TO 2024 CRIMES.UH, PERSONS CRIMES CONSIST OF ANY CRIME RELATED TO A PERSON ON PERSON.
THIS NUMBER TO BE ELEVATED IS OUR ASSAULTS OR AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, THEY, UH, COMBINED EQUAL OVER 2000 INCIDENTS.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE 2300, UM, FOR THE YEAR.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PARTICULAR CALLS ARE ASSAULTS AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
UM, THEY ARE A HIGH NUMBER, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED.
SO THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY IS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING TO ADDRESS FROM A POLICE DEPARTMENT STANDPOINT.
HOWEVER, THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO VICTIMS AND VICTIMS' CHILDREN'S.
AND THAT'S, UH, I THINK BRINGING THAT EXTRA VICTIMS' RIGHTS SUPERVISOR IS GONNA HELP US IN ACCOMPLISHING SOME OF THAT STUFF.
SO, NEXT CATEGORY I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS THE PROPERTY CRIME.
UM, THIS CATEGORY CONSISTS OF BURGLARIES, SHOPLIFTING, THEFTS, FRAUDS, CRIMINAL DAMAGE, ANY CRIME THAT IS RELATED TO A PROPERTY OFFENSE.
WE ENDED THE YEAR IN 2025 AT DOWN, UH, 3.2% COMPARED TO 2024.
UH, THE PRIMARY CALLS THAT WE HAD WITHIN THIS CATEGORY WERE OUR CRIMINAL DAMAGE RELATED CALLS AND OUR SHOPLIFTINGS AND OUR THEFTS.
THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY IS AN AREA THAT THE AVONDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ONE OF ITS GOALS, WHICH YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE SLIDE.
BUT THIS IS ONE THAT WE, WE HAVE SOME AREA THAT WE ARE VERY PROACTIVE IN, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT HERE IN A FEW.
OUR NEXT AREA, UH, OUR NEXT CATEGORY IS OUR CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY.
THIS CATEGORY CONSISTS OF CRIMES SUCH AS DRUGS, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, OBSCENE MATERIAL, PROSTITUTION, WEAPONS VIOLATIONS, ANIMAL CRUELTY, TO NAME A FEW.
SO FOR THE YEAR, WE ENDED OUT AT A NEGATIVE 8.4% COMPARED TO 2024.
THIS AREA HAS A HIGH NUMBER WITHIN THIS CATEGORY ARE DRUG AND WEAPON RELATED OFFENSES.
SO THAT PRIMARILY IS WHAT CREATED THIS CATEGORY.
SO OUR OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN PROACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE OFFENSES.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE AREA THAT WE HAVE CONTINUOUS ISSUES WITH ARE RIVER BOTTOM AREA.
SO OUR OFFICERS ARE DOWN THERE CONSISTENTLY SINCE WE STARTED A RIVER.
UH, BOTTOM DETAIL IN 2024, WE'VE MADE OVER 500 ARRESTS, WHICH RANGE FROM TRESPASSING TO WEAPONS VIOLATIONS AND DRUGS, UM, AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA THAT ALL FALLS WITHIN THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR TOTAL OVERALL THAT WE WERE JUST UP, UH, OVER 1% COMPARED TO 2024, WITH THE GROWTH OF OUR CITY AND THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING INTO AVONDALE, UH, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR OFFICERS REMAIN PROACTIVE DURING THAT DOWNTIME BY EITHER PATROLLING THEIR ASSIGNED BEATS OR ADDRESSING SPECIFIC CONCERNS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES ON HOW WE PLAN ON REDUCING SOME OF THESE CRIMES AND THE CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY LATER.
IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSEL, AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CRIME STATISTICS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
NIEL, I KNOW, QUICK COMMENT OR JUST OBSERVATION.
I GOT THE CALCULATOR OUT HERE.
OKAY, SO IF YOU TAKE SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, 23 94, 29 98, THE FIRST ONE, THAT'S SIX AND A HALF INCIDENTS A DAY.
THE 29 94 DIVIDED BY 365 IS 8.2 PER DAY, AND THE SOCIETY IS 2.3.
I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ARE REPEATS OR IF THEY ARE THINGS I JUST LOOKING AT 'EM, YOU KNOW, ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THE 20 OF 62 39, AGAIN, DIVIDED BY 365 COMES UP APPROXIMATELY 70 17 INCIDENTS A DAY.
AND SO THE NUMBERS MIGHT BE SKEWED IN, IN THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS, OR THE ONE PARTICULAR CALL MAY BE A TICK MARK OR FOR MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A ROBBERY AND A PERSON IS HURT IN THAT PROCESS, YOU HAVE A PERSON'S CRIME AND YOU HAVE A PROPERTY RELATED CRIME.
SO JUST, JUST, UH, YOU AND THE STAFF ARE GOTTA BE KEEPING YOURSELF BUSY JUST TO KEEP UP WITH, YOU KNOW, 17 OF THOSE ON A DAILY BASIS.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE WE MOVE ON, IN REGARDS TO THE CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON, CRIMES AGAINST PERSON, UH, WITH THE INCREASE YOU REFERENCED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, AS, UM, MAYBE IN, UH, ONE OF THE LEADING REASONS AS TO WHY THIS NUMBER IS SO HIGH.
UH, AND THEN THE FIRST THING YOU THINK ABOUT IS IN REGARDS TO THE OTHERS IS, YOU KNOW, BEING PROACTIVE HELPS TO BRING SOME OF THOSE DOWN.
[01:05:01]
IT'S OFTEN OUT OF OUR HANDS.BUT THEN, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF BATES, YOU ALSO MENTIONED IN REFERENCED, UM, EDUCATION.
UH, WHAT DOES THAT EDUCATION LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE IT, FROM A PROACTIVE STANDPOINT, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD THINK THE INFORMATION WOULD BE LIKE, LET'S TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT TRUE EDUCATION LOOK LIKE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE, THE DATA THAT'S PROVIDED AND STATISTICS, UM, TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE EITHER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEE THAT WITHIN THEIR HOUSEHOLD WHEN THEY GROW UP, THEY TEND TO EITHER GET INVOLVED IN THOSE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS OR THEY BECOME AN AGGRESSOR, YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER, THE OTHER END OF IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE EXPLORING IS GETTING MORE INFORMATION OUT TO OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND EXPLORING THAT EDUCATIONAL ROUTE THERE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS THROUGH OUR VICTIMS' RIGHTS, UM, ADVOCATES, IS WE'RE ENSURING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PROVIDING GOOD RESOURCES AND EDUCATION TO OUR VICTIMS AS WELL AS THE, THE VICTIMS' CHILDREN TO TRY AND HELP THEM GET OUT OF A SITUATION LIKE THAT.
UM, EXPLAINING ALL THEIR DIFFERENT OPTIONS, WHETHER IT BE ORDERS OF PROTECTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
FEEL FREE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
CHIEFS, I THINK, UM, CONCERNED AS WELL ABOUT THE CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS, UM, BECAUSE THAT, THAT INCREASE HAS GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY.
IT, IT FEELS LIKE, UM, FROM TWENTY TWENTY THREE, FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE MORE PEOPLE GOT HURT IN AVONDALE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, A TWO YEAR SHIFT, UM, I, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I REGRET THAT THOSE, ANY OF THOSE FOLKS GOT HURT, UM, CRIMINALLY HERE IN AVONDALE.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DRIVE THAT NUMBER DOWN TO ZERO.
UM, AND I THINK THAT STARTS HERE, HOW WE BEHAVE AND HOW WE ENCOURAGE, UM, PEOPLE TO LIVE IN ORDER.
BUT, UM, DID, DID I KNOW THAT YOU SAID MULTIPLE CRIMES ARE OFTEN HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
WHEN, WHEN YOU ARE MANAGING CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS, ARE YOU ALSO NOTICING THAT THERE'S, UM, CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY IE DRUGS OR PICKING UP PARAPHERNALIA OR, UM, ADDITIONAL WEAPONS CONCERNS? I MEAN, WHAT ARE THOSE AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU SEE ARE HIGH BAR WITH, WITH OUR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS? WHAT THE FIRST THING IS, LIKE FROM 2024 TO TILL PRESENT, WE'VE HAD AN OBVIOUSLY AN INCREASE IN POPULATION.
UM, DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT I THINK IT'S ROUGHLY LIKE 1.8%, UM, WITH MORE RESIDENTS BUSINESSES, UM, WE OFTEN DO FIND THAT THERE ARE OTHER CRIMES ASSOCIATED WHEN WE DO RESPOND TO A CRIME AGAINST A PERSON.
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THERE, WHETHER IT BE A WEAPONS VIOLATION, WHETHER IT BE, UH, SOME TYPE OF DRUGS OR DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
THERE'S OFTEN SOME, SOME UNDERLYING ISSUE.
UM, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM WE FOUND TO BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED.
WELL, I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR JUST THINKING ABOUT LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO TO EDUCATE PEOPLE.
UM, I, I KNOW I'VE EXPRESSED IT BEFORE, BUT I'M A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TO SEE THE STATISTICS IS VERY SAD.
UM, BUT SOMETHING YOU SAID IS PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE HOUSES TEND TO ALSO BE, UM, END UP BEING ABUSERS.
AND THAT WAS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
HE LIVED IN A HOUSE WHERE, UM, HE WAS HIS MOM AND THEY WERE ABUSED AND HE ENDED BEING THE SAME AS HIS FATHER, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE GONNA GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND DO THAT EDUCATION WITH THE TEENS EARLY ON IS REALLY, I DON'T WANNA SAY EXCITING, BUT IT'S GREAT THAT THAT'S THE APPROACH YOU'RE TAKING BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS, IS TO EDUCATE THEM YOUNG, KNOWING WHAT TO LOOK FOR, UM, TO HAVE CHILDREN BE ABLE TO DEFEND THEIR MOMS, DEFEND EACH OTHER.
THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT THAT, BUT THEY END UP BEING KIDS, SAVE THE LIVES OF THEIR MOMS SOMETIMES, AND, UM, LETTING THEM KNOW.
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THAT, THAT ROUTE WITH THAT, BECAUSE I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT AND I HOPE TO SEE THIS DOWN.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THESE KIND OF CRIMES HAPPENED, AND WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, WE WANNA SUPPORT THOSE THAT, UM, DO GO THROUGH THEM AND TO HAVE PROGRAMS AFTERWARDS THAT THEY COULD, THAT, THAT THEY HAVE THOSE RESOURCES FOR SURE.
UH, THE NEXT PORTION OF OUR PRESENTATION IS IN REFERENCE TO OUR PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES.
I'LL START WITH THE FIRST ONE IS AN ASSESSMENT OF AN AI ASSISTED, UH, REPORT WRITING SOFTWARE.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, EVERY UH, EMPLOYEE OF THE PD THAT IS OUT IN THE FIELD, THE ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR A BODY-WORN CAMERA.
THOSE CAMERAS CAPTURE NOT ONLY AUDIO, BUT ALSO VIDEO.
AND, UH, WITH THIS, UH, SOFTWARE AS THE INDIVIDUALS, AS THE OUR OFFICERS ARE SPEAKING, WHETHER IT'S A VICTIM, A SUSPECT, OR AN
[01:10:01]
INVESTIGATIVE LEAD, THAT, UH, AUDIO IS, UH, TRANSFORMED INTO A DOCUMENT.THE OFFICER THEN TAKES THAT DOCUMENT, REVIEWS IT, AND MAKES SURE THAT IT'S, UH, PUT IN A FORMAT, UH, OR FORMATTED AS A POLICE REPORT.
UH, WE STARTED THE PROGRAM TODAY.
THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, UH, AN ASSESSMENT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
SEE WHAT, UH, THOSE, UH, RESULTS YIELD.
UH, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THIS IS NEW TECHNOLOGY.
THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UH, HAVE IMPLEMENTED, UH, THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT IT.
AND IN TALKING TO, UH, MY PEERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT, UH, AGAIN, IMPLEMENTED THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY, THEY HAVE SEEN, UH, A LOT OF SUCCESS.
UH, THEY ESTIMATE THAT OFFICERS SPEND ABOUT 30% LESS TIME WRITING REPORTS.
SO, UH, AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THIS ASSESSMENT.
THE NEXT TWO TOPICS, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR US TALK ABOUT THEM HERE, UH, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THE FIRST ONE IS A, UH, DRONE AS A FIRST RESPONDER, A DFR.
AND, UH, FOR US IS AN OFFICER SAFETY, UH, UH, TYPE TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT A DFR, UH, DOES IS THAT UNLIKE OUR, UH, TRADITIONAL DRONES WHERE SOMEBODY HAS, UH, TO DEPLOY THAT DRONE, YOU HAVE TO BE TRAINED AS A PILOT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, AN OBSERVER.
YOU HAVE TO GET THAT DRONE OUT OF YOUR, THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR, AND THEN DEPLOY IT WITH THE, UH, DFR.
THEY ARE, UM, STAGE ON TOP OF A ROOFTOP, AND THEY'RE LINKED TO OUR, UH, CAD SYSTEM.
OUR, UH, CALL FOR SERVICE WHEN A PRIORITY ONE CALL FOR SERVICE, WHICH IS AN EMERGENCY FOR US.
WHEN THAT CALL COMES OUT, IT AUTOMATICALLY NOTIFIES THE DRONE THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY ONE, UH, CALL FOR SERVICE.
THE DRONE GOES STRAIGHT TO THE, UH, ADDRESS WHERE THE, UH, THE INCIDENT IS HAPPENING, AND AN EMPLOYEE BACK AT THE PD.
AS THE, UH, DRONE, UH, ARRIVES ON SCENE AND, UH, STARTS TRANSMITTING, UH, IMAGES TO THAT, UH, OPERATOR BACK AT THE PD, THAT OPERATOR BACK AT THE PD COMMUNICATES, UH, VIA RADIO TO THE, UH, RESPONDING OFFICERS.
WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS PERHAPS, UH, WE OFTEN GET DISPATCHED TO CALLS FOR SERVICE INVOLVING A, A LARGE FIGHT.
AND, UH, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO DEPLOY THAT DRONE.
THAT WAY, WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO.
UH, IF IT'S A LARGER FIGHT, THERE'S WEAPONS INVOLVED, THOSE OFFICERS NOW WILL KNOW THAT, UH, WHAT THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES SENT INTO.
THE OTHER, UH, UH, SIDE OF THE COIN IS THAT SOMETIMES WE GET DISPATCHED TO A LARGE FIGHT AND WE'RE THINKING A HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING, AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE UNITS RESPONDING FROM ALL OVER THE CITY.
NOW, WITH A DRONE ARRIVING AHEAD OF US, THAT, UH, PERSON THAT IS MONITORING THE, THE VIDEO CAN COMMUNICATE WITH OUR OFFICERS, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IT'S, UH, TWO PEOPLE FIGHTING.
LET'S TAKE THOSE, UH, UNITS BACK TO GO BACK TO THEIR BEATS.
SO, UH, AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR US TALK ABOUT IT HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
THE OTHER, UH, ITEM THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR US TALK ABOUT HERE IN THE BUDGET DURING THE BUDGET, UH, BUDGET PROCESS IS WE'RE ASKING TO EXPAND EX, I'M SORRY, EXPAND THE FLOCK, UH, CAMERA SYSTEM.
THESE ARE OUR LICENSE PLATE READERS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 15, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 58.
WE USE THESE LICENSE, UH, PLATE READERS AS AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL, AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE USE 'EM FOR, UH, IF I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, WE, UH, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WE HAD, WELL, LET, LEMME GO BACK IN THE CITY OF LITERAL PARK.
UH, THEY HAVE A, A TOTAL OF, UH, 38 LICENSE PLATE PLATE READERS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE, UH, PATROL LITRE PARK.
WE HAD A BURGLARY OF A HIGH END HOME IN LITRE PARK.
ALL WE HAD TO GO, UH, WITH, IT WAS JUST AN IMAGE OF A VEHICLE.
WE CALLED DETECTIVES OUT BECAUSE AGAIN, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, ITEMS THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE HOME, UH, WAS QUITE A BIT.
OUR DETECTIVES WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN, UH, FOOTAGE FROM THE, UH, LICENSE PLATE READERS, AND CONNECTED THAT VEHICLE.
THE, UH, DETECTIVES, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED THE SUBJECT, CONNECTED THAT SUBJECT TO OTHER BURGLARIES OF, UH, HIGH-END HOMES, NOT ONLY IN, UH, LITERAL PARK, BUT ALSO IN PARADISE VALLEY AND ALSO IN SCOTTSDALE.
UH, THE OTHER PRIORITY, UH, THAT WE'RE, UH, LOOKING AT FOR, UH, 2026 IS OUR RE-ACCREDITATION THROUGH THE ARIZONA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM.
WE WERE ACCREDITED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN 2022.
AND, UH, WE'RE UP FOR RENEWAL.
AND THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER OF, UH, OF THIS YEAR.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET RE-ACCREDITED AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF OUR GOALS.
THE FIRST GOAL IS, WHICH WE ALREADY STARTED, IS, UH, TO
[01:15:01]
ESTABLISH A TRA UH, TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.UH, THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT, UH, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
UH, KIM MOON AND I LEAD THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE.
AND THE OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND REDUCE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, UH, ON APRIL 20TH, KIM AND I ARE GONNA BE GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO TRAIN FOR ADDITIONAL OFFICERS FOR THE TRAFFIC UNIT, AND WE'LL GET INTO THOSE DETAILS HERE ON APRIL 20TH.
ALONG THE SAME LINES, UH, WE'RE ADDING A TOTAL OF, UH, 18 LASER SPEED, UH, MEASURING DEVICES, AND 15 RADAR SPEEDING, UH, MEASURING DEVICES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THE DIFFERENCE ON APRIL 20TH.
UH, IF YOU DESIRE, THE NEXT GOAL IS TO IMPLEMENT A BUILDING CLEARING, UH, TRAINING AREA.
UH, WE RECEIVED, UH, THE SUPPLIES TO MAKE THIS A REALITY THROUGH A GRANT.
AND HISTORICALLY, UM, WHEN OUR OFFICERS TRAINED TO DO, UH, BUILDING SEARCHING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TASKS THAT WE, UH, DO ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, WHETHER IT'S A, UH, BURGLARY ALARM, A RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, A BUSINESS, UH, BURGLARY.
OUR OFFICERS, WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE ON SCENE, THEY HAVE TO CLEAR AN AREA.
SO TO TRAIN FOR THAT, TO CLEAR THE AREA, ALONG WITH A PARTNER, MULTIPLE PARTNERS, UH, WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY, UH, DID IS WE WOULD USE A CITY BUILDING.
WE WOULD ASK, UH, A, A HOME BUILDER TO USE THEIR, UH, HOME UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
IF WE COULD UTILIZE THAT, UH, THAT BUILDING TO TRAIN OUR STAFF, WE NO LONGER WILL HAVE TO DO THIS.
ONCE WE ESTABLISH THIS, UH, UH, BUILDING, CLEARING, UH, BUILDING, UH, BECAUSE, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA ACQUIRE IS MOVABLE WALLS.
SO YOU CAN DO DIFFERENT LAYOUTS.
AND, UH, THIS WILL BE UTILIZED NOT ONLY BY OUR PATROL OFFICERS, BUT ALSO BY OUR TACTICAL, UH, TEAM.
ADDITIONALLY, ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO MAINTAIN VACANCY RATES BELOW 5%.
AND HOW WE INTEND TO, UH, REACH THIS GOAL IS BY UTILIZING OUR FULL-TIME, UH, RECRUITER.
UM, THE IDEA RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT 7.3%.
UH, OUR VACANCY RATE IS 7.3, AND WE INTEND TO BRING IT LOWER BY HAVING OUR RECRUITER BRING, UH, QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, NOT ONLY FOR THE SWORN SIDE, BUT ALSO FOR THE, UH, PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE OUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM BY 5% ANNUALLY.
OUR PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM IS AN INCENTIVE FOR OUR OFFICERS AND SERGEANTS.
AND, UM, THE IDEA IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STAFF IS PHYSICALLY FIT.
UH, THIS IS A VERY, UH, PHYSICALLY DEMANDING TYPE OF JOB.
AND, UH, THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF CITY MANAGEMENT, NOW WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE.
SO OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO TEST EVERY SIX MONTHS, AND IF THEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST, THEY GET A $250 STIPEND.
RIGHT NOW, ABOUT ONE THIRD OF OUR SWORN OFFICERS, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT STIPEND, AND WE INTEND TO INCREASE THAT, UH, THAT PERCENTAGE BY ENCOURAGING AND ENCOURAGING OUR STAFF AND EDUCATING THEM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING PHYSICALLY FIT.
UH, THE NEXT GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF, UH, CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM TRAINED OFFICERS BY, UH, A 5% ANNUALLY.
WHAT, UM, THIS IN ENTAILS IS, UH, THROUGH THE CIT PROGRAM, OFFICERS ARE TRAINED TO BETTER COMMUNICATE, INTERACT, AND INTERACT WITH RESIDENTS WITH MENTAL DISABILITIES.
AND BECAUSE, UH, THROUGH ATTRITION, A LOT OF, AGAIN, WE'RE A VERY YOUNG DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE OFFICERS THAT, UH, GOT PROMOTED TO DETECTIVES, PROMOTED TO SERGEANTS.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT, UH, 35% OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE TRAINED.
OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE THAT FIVE, 5%.
HOWEVER, THAT IS, UH, A VERY LOW, UH, LOW, UH, PERCENTAGE THAT, UH, UH, WE'RE AIMING FOR BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO THESE CLASSES.
HOWEVER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, UH, TRYING TO DO IS TO HOST A CLASS.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO BRING ALL THE DIFFERENT INSTRUCTORS TOGETHER TO CERTIFY THESE OFFICERS.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT A REALITY, EVEN IF, UH, WE HAVE TO PAY TO BRING, UH, OUR TRAINERS.
BUT WE'RE HOPING TO BEAT THAT, UH, THAT PERCENTAGE BY A LOT IF WE'RE ABLE TO HOST, UH, THAT CLASS.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT CHIEF BATES TO REP UP THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
UH, SO I GET TO TALK ABOUT REDUCING OUR PROPERTY TIME, UH, BY TWO AND A HALF PERCENT, AND SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS.
SO, SOME OF THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT, SO RECENTLY, WE JUST HAD NINE OFFICERS COMPLETE THEIR FIELD TRAINING.
UM, WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THESE OFFICERS IS STARTING TO RESTAFF SOME OF OUR SPECIALTY POSITIONS THAT
[01:20:01]
ADDRESS PROPERTY RELATED CRIMES SUCH AS OUR COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM AND OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU.UM, HAVING THOSE EXTRA STAFFING OUT THERE NOT ONLY PUTS MORE PATROL CARS OUT THERE, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO TAKE PEOPLE AND START, UH, FILLING OUT SOME OF THESE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN THESE SPECIALTY AREAS.
ANOTHER STRATEGY WE HAVE IS HOLDING OUR STAFF ACCOUNTABLE TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF REMAINING PROACTIVE DURING THE DOWNTIMES THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.
SO, PATROL CAR IS DRIVING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD, GOES A LONG WAY TO THE RESIDENCE, AND IT POTENTIALLY DETERS CRIMES THAT THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
UM, THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT OFFICERS SPEND EITHER OR ARE BUSY, EITHER ON A CALL FOR SERVICE, REPORT WRITING, DOING SOME TYPE OF ADMIN DUTY VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PROACTIVE AND EMBRACE THE COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THAT PERCENTAGE AND LOOKING AT WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT UTILIZING, AS CHIEF TALKED ABOUT, IS UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS AI.
UM, LIKE CHIEF SAID, WE JUST STARTED, UH, THE ASSESSMENT PHASE OF THAT.
SO WE HAVE, UH, A SELECT FEW OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES THAT ARE UTILIZING THAT.
AND WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO COMPLETE REPORTS NOW COMPARED TO WHAT IT DID IN THE PAST.
THE NEXT ITEM I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS ENSURING THE SAFE TRAFFIC FLOW BY REDUCING ACCIDENTS BY 3%.
AND CHIEF KIND OF STOLE MY THUNDER ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS, BUT WE JUST ADDED THE FOUR OFFICERS TO OUR TRAFFIC BUREAU.
UM, THESE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DON'T THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TO TRAFFIC SCHOOL YET TO MOTOR SCHOOL, BUT THEY'RE PLANNING TO GO BY THE END OF MARCH AND GOING INTO APRIL.
UM, BUT FOR NOW, THEY'VE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
THEY'RE IN PATROL VEHICLES, THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING ENFORCEMENT DETAILS AND, AND AREAS THAT WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH.
SO THEY'RE OUT THERE, UM, AND THEY'RE VISIBLE.
UM, EVEN MY WIFE MADE A COMMENT THAT SHE WAS SCARED OF DRIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOW BECAUSE SHE'S SEEING 'EM ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE CHIEF SPOKE ABOUT, WE'RE ADDING THE, THE 18 NEW LASERS.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS ON THE 20TH OF APRIL.
UM, BUT THIS IS GOING TO GIVE 18 MORE WAYS PATROL OFFICERS TO IDENTIFY SPEEDING AND SPEEDING CONCERNS, AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE AS WELL AS 15, UH, MOVING RADARS, WHICH ARE STATIONED TO END THE VEHICLES THEMSELVES.
SO AS WE'RE DRIVING, WE CAN TELL WHAT SPEED SOMEBODY IS GOING.
WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE, UH, WEST VALLEY, UH, SPEED TASK FORCE.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS COMPRISED OF ALL THE WEST VALLEYS TO INCLUDE DPS AND MCSO.
SO ONCE A MONTH WE CHOOSE A CITY AND WE POUR ALL THOSE RESOURCES AND TRAFFIC OFFICERS INTO THAT CITY.
WE IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC PROBLEM, WHETHER IT BE A HIGH ACCIDENT AREA, UH, A LOT OF SPEEDING COMPLAINTS, AND WE DO ENFORCEMENT, ENFORCEMENT, ENFORCEMENT.
SO BEING A PART OF THAT WEST VALLEY SPEED TASK FORCE WILL BRING THOSE RESOURCES TO AVONDALE AS WELL.
ANOTHER STRATEGY IS, UH, LIKE CHIEF MENTIONED, IS THE TRAFFIC, UH, COMMITTEE THAT'S COMPRISED OF NUMEROUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY HEADED BY PD AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF CONCERN, FUTURE PROJECTS TO ADDRESS THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, USING THINGS LIKE EDUCATION, SOCIAL MEDIA, INFRASTRUCTURE ENFORCEMENT, TIMING OF TRAFFIC, LIGHTS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND THAT'S HOW WE PLAN ON MAINTAINING THAT, UH, REDUCTION IN ACCIDENTS BY 3%.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL GO BACK TO CHIEF, EVERYBODY, MAYOR, COUNSEL, UH, THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE OF US.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
RON KNOWS THAT, UH, I WAS MOST EXCITED ABOUT THE PD UPDATE MYSELF.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU, CHIEF.
I WILL START OFF WITH, FOR THE CANINE TRAINING CENTERS, ARE THERE PLANS TO EXPAND TRAINING PARTNERSHIPS OR CERTIFICATIONS? CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
FOR THE CANINE CENTERS, ARE THERE PLANS TO DO PARTNERSHIPS OR TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS THERE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OR SHOULD SAY OTHER CITIES? YES.
UH, FOR THE CERTIFICATIONS, YES.
UH, WE'RE IN FACT, UH, HOSTING, UH, THE YEARLY CERTIFICATION, UH, THIS WEDNESDAY.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA BRING, UH, I THINK IT'S 25, UH, CANINE UNITS TO DO THEIR YEARLY CERTIFICATION.
AS FAR AS SHARING THE, UH, TRAINING CENTER AT, AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'RE NOT READY TO DO SO.
MY SECOND QUESTION FOR YOU, AND THIS GOES FOR RON AND ALL OUR CITY.
WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN PLACE, I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR MORE FOCUS AND STREAMLINED CHAPLAIN SERVICE BECAUSE I KNOW IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, I WILL QUOTE FROM YOUR, WE WANT AVONDALE TO BE A CITY WHERE ALL PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, SUPPORTED AND CONNECTED TO RESOURCES THAT PROMOTE AND ENHANCE THEIR WELLBEING.
THE CITY PRIORITIZES PUBLIC SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCES, HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS, WHILE PROMOTING MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
WITH THE CHAPLAIN PROGRAM BEING, BEING UTILIZED BY OFFICERS AND STAFF, DO THESE FOLKS ALSO HELP THE FAMILIES AFTER AN INCIDENT IF NEEDED? ABSOLUTELY.
[01:25:01]
OF OUR CHAPLAINS IS HERE, LARRY WHITE.AND, UH, YES, THEY ARE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY'RE WILLING TO, UH, HELP OUT.
THEY HAVE, UH, CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER RESOURCES AND, UH, THEY'RE THERE FOR THE FAMILIES.
UM, AND THEN I SAW IN THE PART WHERE IT SAYS, UH, WHAT DOES THE MANDATORY LEADERSHIP TRAINING CURRENTLY INCLUDE AND HOW ARE WE USING IT TO PREPARE SUPERVISORS AND COMMAND STAFF? MA'AM? UH, THE LEADERSHIP, UH, COURSE INCLUDES, UH, DEVELOPING LEADER LEADERSHIP SKILLS, UH, MANAGING TEAMS AND STRATEGIC THINKING.
AND THIS WAS, UH, MANDATORY FOR NOT ONLY FOR OUR EXISTING, UH, SUPERVISORS, BUT ALSO FOR, UM, YOUNGER OFFICERS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THAT ONE DAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE BECOME A SUPERVISORS OR FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS.
SO THAT, THAT'S, UH, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
MR. MAYOR, CAN I ADD TO THAT, OR, OR MAYBE HAVE, UH, THE CHIEF EXPLAINED, I HAPPEN TO STOP BY AT ONE OF THE TRAININGS.
UH, UH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE NOW, AND THE CHIEF, UH, POLICE OF SCOTTSDALE WAS THERE, AND HE COULD NOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE CULTURE FROM THE INTERACTIONS FROM THE TRAINING THAT THEY WERE PUTTING ON AND HOSTING WITH US FOR THIS, UH, EPISODE, BUT DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, THE SCOTTSDALE PROGRAM OR WHAT THEY WERE DOING THERE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP HERE IN, UH, WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR ALMOST 29 YEARS.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL I KNOW.
SO WE FORCE OURSELVES OUT OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE FORCE OURSELVES TO INTERACT WITH OTHER, UH, ENTITIES AS FAR AS WE CAN.
UH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL CONNECTION WITH, UH, OUR, UH, FRIENDS AT, UH, SCOTTSDALE, UH, THROUGH, UH, THE FBI ACADEMY.
AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT AND WHAT THE IDEA BEHIND BRINGING THEM ON BOARD, UH, TO TRAIN OUR STAFF IS TO GIVE OUR STAFF A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, NOT JUST OUR PERSPECTIVE.
AND, AND WE LEARNED FROM THEM, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY LEARNED FROM US.
AND THEN, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, I KNOW WE DID THE MID-YEAR COMPENSATION.
WHERE ARE WE AT WITH RECRUITMENT? I KNOW LAST, WHEN YOU GUYS WERE HERE, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SERGEANTS AND THAT CLASSIFICATION FOR THE PAY.
BUT WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE, UM, LTS AND THE HIRING? HIRING? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE VACANCIES, UH, FOR THE, UH, IN, IN THE LIEUTENANT POSITION.
HOWEVER, THE REASON WE STILL HAVE 'EM AS VACANCIES IS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE, UH, OUR SERGEANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY THE, THE POSITION BEFORE THEY DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANTED TO, UH, TEST OR NOT.
SO IT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL, UH, PLAN.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ACTING LIEUTENANTS AND, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE SWITCHING OVER, UH, HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE APRIL.
AND, UH, ANOTHER THREE SERGEANTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE, UH, ACTING LIEUTENANTS.
THE IDEA BEHIND IT, IT WAS THAT, HEY, WE WANT YOU TO TRY THE POSITION, SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY, IF IT'S GONNA WORK OUT FOR, FOR HIM OR HER.
SO PRIOR TO THAT, WERE YOU GETTING APPLICATIONS FOR THAT ALREADY OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAME AFTER FROM, DID YOU HAVE IT OPEN ORIGINALLY JUST FOR LIEUTENANTS TO DO THAT? OR DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL AFTER THE FACT? UH, THIS, THIS WAS JUST FOR INTERNAL CANDIDATES.
UH, WE PUT A, AN EMAIL OUT ASKING IF ANYONE WAS INTERESTED IN PUTTING IN FOR THE TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT, AND SIX INDIVIDUALS, UH, ASKED, REQUESTED TO BE PART OF THAT, UH, POOL.
MR. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, WE HAVEN'T ADVERTISED YET.
THIS WAS PRE ADVERTISING FOR THE LIEUTENANT POSITION.
'CAUSE MY SECONDARY QUESTION WAS GONNA BE, UH, FOR YOU RON.
UM, IN OCTOBER, WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING TO RETAIN LTS.
UM, HE'S SAYING, WE'RE HAVING A PROGRAM WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THESE FOLKS ESSENTIALLY KIND OF STEP INTO THAT ROLE FOR A WHILE TO SEE IF THAT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR THEM.
UM, IF IT IS NOT A GOOD FIT, DO WE HAVE A BACKUP FOR THAT? UM, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE WILLING TO EXPLORE DOWN THE LINE? AND I SAY THIS, RON, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE HAD CANDID, UH, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THOSE ROLES AND LOOKING AT WAYS OUTSIDE THE OTHER CITIES MAY BE USING TO RETAIN LTS IN DOING THAT.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCILOR, I'LL ACTUALLY LET, UH, CHIEF ANSWER THAT WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN STRATEGIZING.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THOSE POSITIONS GET FILLED.
SO, UM, THE IDEA IS WE'RE GONNA PUT IT OUT INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A BIG POOL OF CANDIDATES, UH, THAT WILL BE INTERESTED IN THE POSITION.
FOR US, IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF, UH, IT WAS A HOMEGROWN INDIVIDUAL THAT PROMOTED TO, TO THAT POSITION.
BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO FORCE SOMEBODY TO, UH, TO PUT IN FOR THE POSITION IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN, IN DOING.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCILOR SOLAR, I HAD TO ASK A QUESTION.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HIRED AN EXTERNAL LIEUTENANT THAT WORKED OUT? WE, WELL, WE HAVEN'T PROBABLY, OH, YES, WE HAVE.
UH, I THINK HE'S NOW CALLED ASSISTANT, UH, CITY MANAGER.
[01:30:01]
WAS ONE OF OUR, OUR LAST, UH, LATERAL LIEUTENANTS.I WAS, I WAS, I KNOW, BUT I'M ALWAYS GONNA BE A PROPONENT FOR WANTING TO HIRE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, MR. MR. MAYOR, THAT, THAT IS OUR GOAL.
I THINK THE, ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT THIS TRAINING OPPORTUNITY THAT THE, UH, CHIEF AND HIS TEAM CAME UP WITH WAS TO GIVE PEOPLE A TASTE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE, UH, TO BE IN THE POSITION.
UM, GOING FROM SERGEANT, UH, IS GOING FROM A SUPERVISOR TO A MANAGER.
IT'S QUITE A BIG SHIFT IN, UM, RESPONSIBILITIES AND, AND ATTENTION TO DIFFERENT SETS OF PRIORITIES.
SO I THINK IT'S GONNA BE EXCITING.
WE'LL KNOW MORE AT THE END OF THE SECOND ROTATION.
WHEN WILL THE SECOND ROTATION END CHIEF? I BELIEVE IT'S IN JUNE, RIGHT? JULY.
UM, WHILE I HAVE IT AND FOR PUBLIC RECORD, COULD WE POSSIBLY LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS TOO IN THE FUTURE THAT I'VE SHARED WITH YOU, RON? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I SAW YOUR PRIORITIES.
'CAUSE I TELL HIM ALL THE TIME AFTER I COME BACK FROM NATIONAL CONFERENCES, I HAD THE GREAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO SIT DOWN WITH GARRETT LANGLEY HIMSELF, WHO, UM, IS A FOUNDER, CEO OF FLOCK CAMERA COULDN'T BE SUCH A, LIKE A MORE USEFUL TOOL THAN THAT TO HEAR.
'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS HEAR THE MISCONCEPTION OF WHAT IS IT DOING, FACIAL RECOGNITION AND WHATNOT.
BUT IT IS NOT, IT IS A TOOL TO SPECIFICALLY HELP YOU GUYS SOLVE CRIMES FASTER IN REAL TIME.
WE EVEN HAD A BUSINESS MEETING, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE WAS AT THAT BUSINESS MEETING WHERE THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE OPPOSED TO IT.
BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OFFICER SAFETY, AND RON KNOWS THIS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE HE TELLS ME IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO HAVE DFRI HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE DFR AND HOW IT WORKS AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
AND IT WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE PIECE TO HAVE THAT I LITERALLY TEXT RON THERE AND I WAS LIKE, I WANT THIS.
AND HE SAYS, MA'AM, THAT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND HE SAID, NO AT FIRST, BUT THEN I HEARD THAT YOU HAD SOME TYPE OF MEETING AND HE GOT TO SEE IT.
AND THEN HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS WILLING, HE WAS OPEN TO IT.
I SAID, THANK YOU, RON, BECAUSE HE WAS A VERY STERN, NO, IT WAS RIGHT AWAY WHEN I SENT HIM THAT MESSAGE, HE GOES, THOSE THINGS COST MONEY, MA'AM.
I ONLY WANT THE BEST FOR YOU GUYS.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AGAINST LIKE THE CAMERA AND THE INVASION AND WHATNOT, BUT IF IT HELPS YOU SOLVE CRIME, LIKE THE WAY WE SAW THAT VIDEO, UM, WITH THE DFR BEING DEPLOYED TO HELP IN A SITUATION WHERE A PERSON COMMITTED A CRIME, THEY MURDERED SOMEBODY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT WITHIN 45 MINUTES AND THE CAR WAS BEING TRACKED.
IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT.
WE ALSO HEARD ABOUT THAT AT A CONFERENCE BECAUSE THEY SAVE SO MUCH TIME IS TAKEN UP WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS WRITING REPORTS AND WHATNOT, AND ALSO ACCURACY AS WELL.
SO I WAS SUPER HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
I KNOW RON, WHEN HE MENTIONED IT, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS MY TIME.
I'M SORRY FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO GET IT OUT THERE.
AND I APPRECIATE RON AND THE STAFF AND YOU GUYS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN, UH, CLARIFY, UH, WE'LL PREPARE THE, THE CHIEF DID SAY WE WOULD TALK ABOUT IT AT THE BUDGET MEETING.
UM, BUT IT COMES WITH, UH, SOME TRADE-OFFS.
SO FOR THE FLOCK CAMERAS TO GET UP TO THE NUMBER WE NEED, UM, THE CHIEF, UH, CAME UP WITH A PLAN, UH, USING, UH, RICOH FUNDS, UH, TO PURCHASE THEM AND PAY FOR THE ANNUAL COST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO ABSORB IT INTO OUR ONGOING BUDGET.
AND FOR THE, UH, FDR, IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE CALLED? THE, THE, UM, THE THINGS IN THE SKY? UH, THOSE DRONE THINGS? UM, WHEN WE SAW THEIR PRESENTATION, UH, THEY'VE MADE A COMMITMENT AND, AND STAFF, UH, UM, MENTIONED, UH, THAT IT IS, UH, THE ABILITY TO REDUCE CALL TIME.
IN OTHER WORDS, UH, UH, REDUCE FTE WITHOUT REDUCING FTE.
AND SO, UM, WHILE WE CAN'T, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE BUDGET COMING UP, WE ARE, UH, UH, DO NOT HAVE EXCESS CAPACITY.
UM, WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT THAT IF WE HOLD ONE OF THOSE VACANCIES, THEN HE CAN GET TWO CAMERAS.
UH, I BELIEVE IT'S TWO CAMERAS WITH THOSE VACANCIES.
TWO DRONES, SORRY, TWO, TWO DRONES WITH THOSE, UM, THAT VACANCIES.
UH, WE ALSO NEED A PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE GONNA DO AN EXPERIMENT WITH AMAZON.
SO THERE'S SOME OTHER DETAILS THAT ADD SIGNIFICANT COSTS.
UH, BUT WE BELIEVE WE HAVE A PLAN, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE.
BUT WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET STARTED WITH TWO DRONES, UH, WITHHOLDING ONE, UH, POLICE OFFICER VACANCY, UH, WHILE WE, UH, WAIT TO SEE WHEN THE REVENUES CAN SUPPORT.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S ONE THING THAT I HAVE, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THIS, BUT HE GETS BOTHERED BEHIND THE SCENES ABOUT THIS.
'CAUSE EVEN IF IT SAVES ONE OFFICER'S LIFE, THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT AND HAVE THAT DEPLOYED IN OTHER SITUATIONS, LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A FIGHT OR NOT REALLY, OR MAYBE HAVING TOO MANY RESOURCES REPORT ALL AT ONCE IS JUST, THERE'S NO DOLLAR.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY FOR BUDGET REASONS, THERE'S A DOLLAR VALUE PLACED ON IT, BUT TO ME THAT'S LIKE SUPER IMPORTANT.
I'M SURE IT'S IMPORTANT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT UP AND COMING.
[01:35:01]
SOME OF YOUR OTHER SURROUNDING CITIES ALREADY HAVE THAT IN PLACE, BECAUSE I SAT NEXT TO COUNCIL MEMBER TERRY AT, UM, WHEN WE MET GARRETT, AND HE WAS ALL READY TO GO.HE EXPLAINED THEIR PROGRAM, HOW THEY HAVE IT, AND I SAT THERE AND I SAID, GARRETT, I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE.
AND I SAID, AND TREY, I SAID, TEACH OUR PEOPLE THAT BECAUSE I WANT THAT TOO.
THANK YOU CUSTOMER WEISS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT.
UM, I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY.
UM, KEN AND I WERE BINGE WATCHING SOMETHING THIS WEEKEND WHILE WE WERE WAITING AT OUR HOTEL.
AND I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU, THERE WAS SOMEBODY ON THE SCREEN, IT WAS, UM, ANOTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY.
UM, BUT THEY ENCOUNTERED SOMEBODY WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
AND I WAS KIND OF SADDENED BY THE WAY THEY WERE APPROACHING THE PERSON.
SO I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GONNA WORK ON TRAINING FOR THE STAFF.
UM, I WENT WITH AN OFFICER FOR A RIDE ALONG AND SHE DID MENTION, UM, AS A DETER, YOU KNOW, TO DETER, UM, CRIME THAT THEY DRIVE AROUND.
AND SHE WAS, I MEAN, THAT SHE WOULD, SHE TOLD ME THAT'S THEIR GOAL.
AND, UM, I HAPPENED TO BE IN THE FRY'S LIKE A MONTH LATER AND CALLED, UM, DISPATCH BECAUSE THERE WAS SOMEBODY IN THE PARKING LOT THAT WAS ACTING SUSPICIOUS.
AND AS SOON AS THE POLICE, UM, DROVE IN, SHE WALKED OUT AND WENT OVER ACROSS THE STREET INTO GOODYEAR
SO ANYWAY, UM, THE DRONES, DO THEY, DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO TALK THROUGH THEM? SO IF YOU BROUGHT ONE OVER AND THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON, WOULD YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO A SIREN OR ANYTHING WITH IT? NOT THE DFR, MA'AM.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE, UH, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP 'EM, UH, AS LONG AS WE CAN UP IN THE AIR.
AND, UH, ADDING A, A SPEAKER, UH, ANYTHING ELSE WOULD, UH, WEIGH 'EM DOWN AND THEN OKAY.
IT WOULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY'RE UP IN THE AIR.
IT WOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY, NOT, NOT A PROBLEM.
AND THEN THE FLOCK CAMERAS, UM, THEY CAN PICK UP MAYBE SOMEBODY THAT'S STOLEN LIKE A CAR THAT'S BEEN STOLEN OR REPORTED STOLEN.
UH, GREAT QUESTION FOR US IN AVONDALE, WE DON'T UTILIZE THEM THAT WAY.
UH, IN AVONDALE, WE SIMPLY UTILIZE THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UH, INVE AS AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL FOR OUR OFFICERS OR DETECTIVES.
WE DO NOT USE 'EM FOR, TO CHASE CARS AROUND OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN WHITEY, COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M ALWAYS IN AWE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS DO.
UM, BUT ONE THING I DO WANNA POINT OUT, UM, I HAD NOT BEEN TO TOUR OF THE COMMUNICATION CENTER SINCE BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL, AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE IT AFTER THE IMPROVEMENTS IN UPGRADES.
AND WOW, IT WAS AMAZING IN THERE.
THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WERE SO NEEDED.
UM, AND I REALLY LIKE THE SEPARATE ROOM SO THAT DISPATCHERS CAN GO.
SO TO DECOMPRESS, ESPECIALLY AFTER A DIFFICULT CALL, UM, IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT ROOM.
BUT, UM, CHIEF, I REALLY WANNA JUST COMMEND YOU AND THANK YOU, BECAUSE WHEN I WAS THERE, A LOT OF THINGS WERE SAID ABOUT, UM, THE CULTURE THAT YOU'VE CREATED WITHIN, OF COURSE, THIS ORGANIZATION, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DISPATCHERS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE IF THEY NEED TO TALK TO YOU, THAT YOU'RE LITERALLY RIGHT DOWN THE HALL.
SO JUST MAKING YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
UM, ALSO, UM, IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR, 'CAUSE I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE TAKE HOME VEHICLE PROGRAM.
SO BY YOU SHARING THAT, IT'S BEEN A SUCCESS.
REALLY MAKES ME HAPPY AND KNOW THAT THAT WAS MONEY WELL SPENT.
UM, AND THE SECOND THING I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU IS FOR AS HAVING HIRING THE SECOND FORENSIC INTERVIEWER, UM, I KNOW OUR CURRENT INTERVIEW, FORENSIC INTERVIEWER, SOMETIMES I WOULD SEE HER AND I JUST THOUGHT KNEW THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT SHE WAS INTERVIEWING, AND THAT'S REALLY GOT A PULL ON SOMEONE JUST TO, TO HAVE THOSE, THAT AMOUNT OF INTERVIEWERS.
UM, AND I DID HAVE A QUESTION, UM, IN REGARDS TO HOW DO WE ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CALLS? SO SAY FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE CALLS IN AND SAYS THAT SOMEONE'S, UM, SHOWING VIOLENT OR ODD BEHAVIOR, OR IF SOMEONE'S SUICIDAL, HOW DO WE DIRECT THOSE? IS THERE MENTAL HEALTH? WHAT, HOW DO WE KIND OF FUNNEL THAT? SO WE HAVE A, AGAIN, ABOUT A, A THIRD OF OUR PATROL STAFF THAT IS TRAINED.
BUT THE OTHER, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT TRAINED, I THINK A LOT OF 'EM UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURE.
WE TALK ABOUT OUR CULTURE, YOU TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT.
AND I THINK THAT GOES LONG WAYS.
WHETHER YOU'RE DEALING WITH A, A PERSON THAT IS GOING THROUGH HAVING A, A ROUGH DAY, OR YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOMEBODY THAT HAS A, A MENTAL, UH, UH, HEALTH ISSUE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, ONE THIRD IS TRAINED, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE REST OF 'EM,
[01:40:01]
THEY JUST ARE BEING HUMAN BEINGS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, COMMUNICATE, UH, WITH, WITH OUR, UH, COMMUNITY.NOW, WHEN AN OFFICER THAT IS NOT TRAINED AS A CIT OFFICER RESPONDS TO A CALL FOR SERVICE, THEY'LL PUT IT OVER THE RADIO AND, AND SOMEBODY THAT IS TRAINED WILL RESPOND TO A SYSTEM.
SO, UH, AGAIN, OUR GOAL, AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HOST A CLASS THIS YEAR, THAT THAT IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.
THAT WOULD BE HUGE BECAUSE INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TRAIN 5% OF OUR PATROL STAFF, WE WOULD MAKE IT, UH, PROBABLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR PATROL STAFF.
WE WOULD MAKE IT WORK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TO BE ABLE TO CERTIFY TO EVERYBODY.
AND THEN, ARE WE, UM, FULLY STAFFED IN FOR DISPATCHERS? NO, MA'AM.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING, UH, TOWARDS THAT, THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND HAVING THE FULL-TIME, UH, RECRUITER TO INCREASE OUR, OUR POOL OF CANDIDATES, UH, NOT ONLY FOR SWAN, BUT FOR KEEP SESSIONS SUCH AS THE, UH, THE DISPATCHERS.
WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF TRAINING FOR THE DISPATCHERS? IT, IT IS ABOUT, I BELIEVE IT'S FOUR TO SIX MONTHS.
I, I BELIEVE IT'S, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
I, AT ONE POINT IT WAS SIX MONTHS, AND I KNOW WE WERE TRYING TO REDUCE THE, UH, THE, UH, NUMBER OF, UH, WEEKS IN TRAINING, BUT IT'S BETWEEN FOUR AND, UH, SIX MONTHS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I ALSO WANNA COMMEND EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
IT'S, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE IN OUR CITY AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD.
SO I KNOW AS A FORMER OFFICER, A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF WHAT I EXPERIENCE IS PEOPLE WANNA BE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY, AND THAT COMES WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE NOWADAYS.
BUT THAT IS HOW WE KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
SO JUST LIKE THE FLOCK CAMERAS, JUST LIKE THE AI, UM, TRANSCRIPT, JUST LIKE THE DRONES, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT LIKE THEM.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERNS, BUT I THINK THAT MOSTLY, UM, THEY HAVE A MISCONCEPTION AND UNEDUCATED ON THE TOPIC, BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE ASKED SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, I ASKED ABOUT THE FLOCK CAMERA PROBABLY LIKE 10 TIMES ALREADY.
BUT BECAUSE I, I READ WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND TALKING ABOUT AND KNOWING THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT IT, MAYBE WE COULD JUST EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT EXACTLY WE USE IT FOR.
BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE READ IN OTHER CITIES THAT PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING THEIR PERSONAL, LIKE, RECORDS FOR THE FLOCK CAMERA, AND WE DON'T HAVE PERSONAL RECORDS FOR THE FLOCK CAMERA.
AND I DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT KEEPING THAT INFORMATION.
AND IT IS USED ONLY FOR INVESTIGATIVE INVESTIGATION.
SO MY REQUEST IS JUST EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY IF WE DO APPROVE IT TO ENSURE THAT THEY FEEL SAFE AND THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, WHAT IS THE, UH, I LOST THE WORD, MY CONCENTRATION WE'RE NOT, UM, IN THEIR PRIVACY OR WHATEVER.
WE'RE NOT TAKING NOTE OF WHAT EVERY TIME THEY GO TO FRY'S OR EVERY TIME THEY GO TO SOMEWHERE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WITH THE, THE TRAINING FOR, UH, RESPONDING TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND STUFF, I THINK IT'S AMAZING.
AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE SPEAKING TO AT THE MOMENT, AND SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN SO FAST THAT YOU HAVE TO RESPOND WITHOUT KNOWING IF THAT PERSON IS DISABLED.
SO I WANNA JUST COMMEND ALL OF YOUR OFFICERS REGARDLESS IF THEY HAVE THE TRAINING OR NOT, TO KNOW THAT WE STILL SUPPORT THEM, AND THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE, ESPECIALLY IF THE PERSON BECOMES VIOLENT OR THE PERSON IS JUST NOT ON THEIR MEDICATION OR THEY'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
I KNOW THAT I'VE RESPONDED TO SOMEBODY THAT, UM, HAD DIABETES AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.
AND ONCE THE PARAMEDICS CAME, BECAUSE THEY ENDED UP PASSING OUT, WE FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE LOW ON SUGAR AND NOT, NOT DRUNK.
SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I, I TOTALLY SUPPORT YOU GUYS IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO, AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO GO DO A TRAINING WITH YOU GUYS IN THE NEW BUILDING CLEARING TRAINING.
SO IF YOU GUYS EVER WANT TO LET ME IN, UM, I DO LIKE THAT TRAINING.
IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND THAT YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTED BY US.
UM, I SUPPORT YOU GUYS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND ANYTHING YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS SAFE, I I WANT TO SUPPORT IT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT YOU PUT IN.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR ME IN THE PRESENTATION? UM, AND THEN ONE MORE AHEAD.
AND THEN I THINK YOU HAVE GOALS FOR THIS YEAR.
I THINK WE WERE MOSTLY REFERRING TO THE GOALS.
SO, UM, WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THE PRIORITIES HERE, I JUST, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALL INNOVATION.
[01:45:01]
AND I THINK WHAT WE, UM, LACK IN, IN PEOPLE POWER, UH, BECAUSE MY BACKGROUND IS HR, UM, WE CAN GET AN INNOVATION AND, AND SO MY HR BACKGROUND IS FROM BANKING.SO I'VE BEEN UNDER SURVEILLANCE FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE, RIGHT? UM, PEOPLE MONITORING MY GOINGS AND COMINGS ME BEING ON CAMERA AT WORK, DOING MY JOB, UM, ME WATCHING PEOPLE ON CAMERA, DOING THEIR JOB WITH A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT AS YOU CONTINUE TO NORMALIZE THE FACT THAT THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF SURVEILLANCE THAT WE ALL HAVE TO BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH IN SOCIETY, IT JUST KEEPS US HONEST.
YOU KNOW, IF I'M NOT BREAKING THE LAW, I DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOU SURVEILLING ME.
SO I'VE NEVER WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE WATCHING MY BANK TRANSACTIONS OR WATCHING ME FOR THAT MATTER.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT I'M DOING IS PROBABLY LAWFUL.
AND IF IT'S NOT, I KNOW YOU WILL STOP ME.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE IN AVONDALE ALLOWS FOR MORE INNOVATIVE SPACE.
I JUST WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO FIND ONE ADDITIONAL WAY TO PROTECT EACH BODY ON OUR POLICE FORCE.
SO WHAT ADDITIONAL THING CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE OUR OFFICERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET HIT WHEN THEY'RE PULLING SOMEBODY OVER, LESS LIKELY TO HAVE TO, UM, ENGAGE WITH AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IF THEY HAVE TO CONFRONT ONE.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP OUR BODIES, OUR HUMAN BODIES ON, ON A VPD OUT OF HARM'S WAY IS REALLY MY TOP PRIORITY FOR YOU.
AND SO ALL OF THESE THINGS KIND OF ADD TO THAT, BUT THEN ALSO, UM, AS WE SERVE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, AND I THINK ABOUT US GETTING US SAFE STREETS FOR ALL GRANTS, THAT GRANT IS ACTUALLY BEING USED BY ENGINEERING.
SO YOU PARTNERING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY IS VITAL FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO MY COMMITMENT TO YOU AND TO THE REST OF COUNCIL IS THAT AS WE GO TO NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND AS I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, I'M GONNA TRY AND FIND ADDITIONAL MONEY TO BRING BACK HOME, UM, AND TO HELP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SEE THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT BY OUR, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR STAFF, OUR TEAM HERE ON THIS DAY AS, AND WE WANT TO DO RIGHT BY YOU ALL AS WELL TO GET YOU ALL AS MUCH SUPPORT, WHETHER THAT'S ENGINEERING SUPPORT, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, SUPPORT WITH ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY, ADDITIONAL BODIES.
AND, AND WE ALSO, I KNOW THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO TALKED ABOUT MEETING, I GUESS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF FLOCK.
I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT I THINK WE HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS IN, IN, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO AS THEY PRESENT INNOVATION TO US, WE WANNA SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
BUT I, I'M SO CONFIDENT THAT YOU KNOW WHAT, AVONDALE NEEDS TO HEAR THAT YOU WENT TO SCOTTSDALE AND THEY MIGHT HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM YOU THERE.
THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU TAKE IN EVERYTHING LIKE A SPONGE.
SO, UM, CONTINUE WITH THE INNOVATION, CONTINUE TO PUT OUR SWORN AND UNSWORN PEOPLE FIRST IN, IN PD AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I THINK THAT WE'LL MAKE IT BETTER FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN AVONDALE.
AND I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE A PLEA TO OUR RESIDENTS TO STOP HURTING EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, WE ACTUALLY JUST HAVE TO ASK THE THING.
UM, WE HAVE TO STOP HURTING EACH OTHER.
SO IF THE MAJORITY OF CRIMES THAT WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH EVERY DAY ARE PEOPLE ON PEOPLE CRIMES, AND WE ARE DOING THIS AT HOME, RIGHT? WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO FIND A CAMPAIGN TO SAY, HEY, THAT'S NOT COOL.
UM, AND SO, UM, BEING SOMEBODY WHO, UM, GREW UP IN A VERY DIVERSE HOUSEHOLD, MULTI-GENERATIONS LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD, I THINK KEEPING, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE GENERATIONS IN THE HOUSEHOLDS KIND OF ADDS SOME OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, NANA, I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE YOU DO THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT EVERY HOUSEHOLD HERE.
SO, UH, LET'S TRY AND FIND AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO ASK PEOPLE TO JUST STOP AND BE KIND AT HOME, UM, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE INNOVATION, BUT BEING KIND AT HOME IS HUGE AND INNOVATIVE.
AND, AND WE TAKE THAT TO THE STREETS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR LIVES ON THE LINE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO PROTECT US IN WHAT WE CALL HOME HERE IN AVONDALE.
MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN, TO ADD ONE, CLARIFYING, WE DIDN'T HAVE IT ON THE LIST, BUT I BELIEVE THIS YEAR WE INCREASED, UH, THE, UH, REIMBURSEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL ARMOR.
I BELIEVE WE ADDED, UH, PLATES THAT PEOPLE COULD, WE INCREASED, UH, THE MONEY THEY COULD SPEND TO, TO UPGRADE THEIR, UH, LIFE VEST.
AND THAT, THAT IS A HUGE, UH, BENEFIT FOR US HERE IN AVONDALE.
UH, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY YOU GET, UH, A STIPEND AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANTED TO UPGRADE YOUR VEST TO A BETTER VEST OR SOMETHING, THAT THAT IS LIGHTER, IT WOULD COST, UH, OFFICERS MONEY OUT OF THEIR POCKETS.
HOWEVER, WITH, UH, THE NEW, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE GET, WE'RE ABLE TO COVER THE, THE BEST, UH, VEST OUT THERE POSSIBLE.
SO, AND THE FUNDING, MR. CORBIN, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM, SIR? UH, WE BUDGETED THAT LAST YEAR.
NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VISION, YOUR INNOVATION,
[01:50:01]
AND YOUR DESIRE TO MAKE YOUR GUYS SAFE AND THE CITY OF AVONDALE SAFE.THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY ON A LIGHTER SIDE IS I DON'T WANT TO BE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, WHEN YOU GO IN THAT ROOM WHERE THE WALLS ARE ALL MOVING, I'M TRAINED TO DO IT.
I HAVE A HARD TIME GOING INTO COSTCO AND FINDING MY PLACE AND ONE AROUND THERE.
SO I'M GLAD I'M SHORT SO THAT EVERYONE'S ABOVE ME.
FIRST, LET ME THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE UPDATE.
AS YOU, I DON'T WANNA REGURGITATE A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SET UP HERE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SHARED, SO THERE'S NO SENSE IN GOING THROUGH THAT OTHER THAN JUST TO, UM, JUST SHARE MY, MY GRATITUDE TO THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE, SO I SAY YOU GUYS, 'CAUSE CHIEF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOUR TEAM ARE, ARE JUST SO INNOVATIVE.
WHETHER IT'S DOING THE RESEARCH, IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, WHETHER IT'S UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, IT'S HERE, IT'S LISTED BEFORE US.
AND WHILE THERE MIGHT BE OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE ADOPTING SOME OF THE SOFTWARE, IT'S TOP OF MIND FOR YOURSELVES.
AND SO FOR US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PART OF THIS BODY, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING AHEAD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO US ON SOME OF THESE CAPABILITIES AND, AND, UH, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT, WHAT I HEARD IN A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING WAS THE TRANSITION TO A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY, UH, READ A REPORT AND SHOWED MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM ALSO DID TO, IN REGARDS TO HOW AI IS REPLACING, UH, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS AT WORK.
AND WHILE THAT MAY NOT OCCUR HERE, I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S FUNNY TO, TO LEARN THAT EVEN REPORT WRITING IS CHANGING AS A RESULT.
WHAT I WOULD, AND THIS IS JUST A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AT SOME POINT IS KIND OF WHAT ARE THE, UH, THE PROMPTS THAT OFFICERS WILL USE AS PART OF THIS REPORT WRITING TO, TO, TO GAIN THE, THE INSIGHT OF THE PROPER TECHNIQUE.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A QUESTION, JUST MORE OF A COMMENT, UM, AS I THINK ABOUT THAT.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS LIVING IN ALAMAR AND, AND IN SOUTH SOUTH OF THAT WHO HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE RIVER BOTTOM.
THEY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, UH, A LOT OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING DOWN THERE HAS, UM, HAS OVER TIME DISSIPATED.
IT'S NOT REMOVED YET, WHICH IS WHAT ULTIMATELY THE GOAL WILL BE.
BUT EVEN WITH THE, THE, UH, THE GRANTS THAT ALLOWED FOR, UH, MORE, MORE, UM, OF OUR SERVICES DOWN THERE WITH THE UTVS AND BEING ABLE FOR THOSE CAPABILITIES TO, TO, TO OCCUR AS WELL IS JUST, AGAIN, JUST BEING INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE.
AND I THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM FOR THINKING IN THAT WAY AND, AND BEING RESPONSIVE AND IN MOST CASES PROACTIVE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, SIR, IF, IF, THANK YOU.
AND IF I CAN JUST LET YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, OUR PHILOSOPHY IS AT THE PD, IT'S ALL ABOUT, ABOUT OUR END USERS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE MEANING OUR OFFICERS, OUR SERGEANTS, THEY'RE OUT, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, WE'RE NOT VERY TECH SAVVY.
I DON'T WANNA THROW AL UNDER THE BUS, BUT, UH, THAT'S OUR REALITY.
SO WE EXPECT OUR STAFF TO BRING, UH, TECHNOLOGIES AND IDEAS TO US, AND WE DO SO BY A, A PROGRAM THAT WE IMPLEMENTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO IS THE CHANGE INITIATIVE.
SO ANY MEMBER OF THE PD AT ANY LEVEL, UH, WHETHER SWORN OR NOT, THEY CAN SUBMIT A, A CHANGE INITIATIVE REQUEST.
IT COULD BE A CHANGE OF OF POLICY, IT COULD BE A A FOR US TO LOOK AT A NEW TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY AND IT COMES DIRECTLY TO US SO THAT WE CAN EXPLORE THAT AND, UH, AND, AND ASSIGN SOMEBODY THAT IS MORE TECH SAVVY THAN US TO, UH, LOOK AT THAT TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, PUT IT OUT TO OUR, TO OUR STAFF.
WELL, MAYBE THERE'LL BE A TRADE OFF, RIGHT? THE YOUNG, SOME OF THE YOUNG OFFICERS ARE LOOKING TOWARDS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ARE LEARNING FROM THOSE WHO HAVE MORE TENURE AND THO THOSE THAT HAVE MORE TENURE, INCLUDING YOURSELVES LEARN MAYBE FROM THOSE WHO ARE EXPOSED TO NEWER TECHNOLOGIES.
SO IT COULD BE A GREAT TRADE OFF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
AND, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY, NEXT ITEM IS ADJOURNMENT, OR
[6. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS FROM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCILMEMBERS ]
SORRY, SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS.ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT WISH TO SHARE ANY INFORMATION? OKAY.
ON, UM, THIS PAST FRIDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, GO TO, UM, A BLACK HISTORY ROCK SHOW AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FEATURING AVONDALE'S OWN SHOW THE FLOW, UM, WHICH IS MY SON
AND SO, UM, THAT WAS REALLY AMAZING.
I GOT A CHANCE TO GO SEE AN AVONDALE ARTIST ACTUALLY PERFORMING AT ARIZONA
[01:55:01]
STATE UNIVERSITY.UM, AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HANG OUT AT TRACE RIOS.
UM, ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, I SAW VICE MAYOR NIELSEN AND COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO ON SATURDAY, BUT JUST HAD A REALLY AMAZING TIME BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
STOPPED BY A MARKETPLACE ON, UM, SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT FRIENDSHIP PARK.
BUT I JUST WANNA THANK PARKS AND REC, COREY, STACY, THE ENTIRE TEAM.
THE, UM, TRACE REELS AREA IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
I DON'T THINK ANY, I MEAN, WE'VE GONE FROM YEARS WHERE IT'S COLD AND RAINY AND IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA SNOW DOWN THERE TO THIS PAST WEEKEND.
I WAS PRETTY SURE THAT THE DEVIL WAS STANDING NEXT TO ME, SO IT WAS JUST THAT HOT.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO, AND THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF AND FOLKS THAT WERE OUT THERE, THIS MAKING IT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE WERE ALL AT THE, UM, SHOVEL TODAY, UM, THE KICKOFF FOR, UM, DONATELLA PARK.
AND I AM SO EXCITED THAT IT WILL BE ALL INCLUSIVE TO, TO, UM, MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, WHATEVER THEIR ABILITIES.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU GUYS DO.
ANYBODY ELSE? WELL, I WAS JOINED BY COUNCIL, UH, LAST WEEK, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS WERE THERE, BUT IT WAS A PLEASURE TO, UH, BE A PART OF THE NEW, UH, FRY'S MARKETPLACE, UH, AND DEVELOPMENT THAT'LL BE HAPPENING DOWN THERE.
JEN AND THE TEAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO MAKE THOSE THINGS COME TO FRUITION AND STAFF WHO IS ALSO PART OF THE PROCESS AS WELL, EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, RESIDENTS ARE JUST SO HAPPY, HAPPY THAT, THAT IT'S THERE.
AND THEN ON SATURDAY, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF AVENUE LITTLE LEAGUE IN THEIR OPENING CEREMONIES.
AND, UH, I SAID IT BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, THAT JOHN PEREL, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF AVENUE LITTLE LEAGUE, HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY WENT FROM ABOUT 200, 150 TO 200 PLAYERS TO OVER 500.
BUT MORE IMPRESSIVELY, THE NUMBER OF LITTLE ONES LIKE MAYBE SIX AND UP SIX TO LET'S SAY NINE, UH, WAS TREMENDOUS.
WHICH MEANS THAT FOR YEARS TO COME, AVONDALE LITTLE LEAGUE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND, UH, CONSIDERING JUST HOW COMPETITIVE YOUTH SPORTS ARE, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE CONTINUING TO GROW IS, IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
SO, UH, AND ALSO, UH, I WILL SHARE, UM, THAT, UM, AS PART OF THE, THE CEREMONY THAT ONE OF THE, UH, FORMER BOARD MEMBERS OF AL LITTLE LEAGUE, WHO WAS ALSO A COACH WHO WAS ALSO A PARENT AND WHO WAS ALSO AN UMPIRE, PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR, HIS NAME WAS CHRIS AND JOHN, UM, HAD A LITTLE PLAQUE DEDICATED TO HIM THAT HE WAS GOING TO PUT ON THE GATE.
AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS GONNA LEAVE IT THERE UNTIL THE CITY TOOK IT DOWN.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, AND WE CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE, UH, THE INTENT OF THE SUMMARY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD.
UM, UH, MORE CONVERSATION, I'M SURE LATER.
UH, BUT NONETHELESS, UH, THANK YOU JOHN FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR HAVING LITTLE LEAGUE.
CORY, WITH THAT SAID, IF THERE'S NO OTHER, UH, EVENTS TO POST, IF I CAN GET A MOTION, GOT A CO, UH, MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE WITH A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, CAN WE PLEASE VOTE? ADJOURNMENT UNANIMOUSLY PASSES EVERYBODY.
DRIVE SAFE AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR AVONDALE.