PHOENIX — Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams joined Team 12's Mark Curtis Thursday for a candid discussion about a myriad of hurdles facing the department.
Escalating attacks on Phoenix officers:
There have been three reported ambushes on Phoenix police officers in the last four months. When asked why she thinks the attacks appear to be escalating, Williams said, “The why is still a question for all of us."
Williams said the one common denominator in the attacks is that most of the individuals involved had a previous history of being armed and dangerous. She said a history of violence appears to be the common trait the suspects share.
Williams said despite the danger involved, officers continue to show up for work every day to protect their community.
"I am still baffled and amazed by the resiliency of men and women, sworn and civilian members of the Phoenix Police Department," Williams said.
Williams said the department is working with the ATF and U.S. Marshals to focus on violent crime within the community.
Williams said the ease of getting firearms should be alarming to all of us and the department is working on a solution that will continue to maintain an individual's constitutional rights.
Staffing shortages:
The Phoenix Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies across the state, is dealing with staffing shortages.
The department recently reassigned several sworn officers from specialty positions to help fill a significant gap in its patrol division.
In addition, just last year, Williams told the City Council's Public Safety Committee the department is considering not sending officers to respond to certain types of calls and is looking for ways to maintain service levels while dealing with hundreds of vacant positions.
Williams said the decision to reassign officers did affect morale. She said the department made assurances officers will be able to return to their previous positions once staffing shortages have been alleviated.
Williams said the department relies heavily on technology - such as body cameras, license plate readers, and more to help police the community.
"No matter what’s going on, officers still respond to calls for service. Our job is to make sure they have tools and staffing levels to be safe," Williams said.
Strained relationships within the community:
Police departments across the country are working to repair strained relationships between officers and the communities they serve.
While some challenges still exist, Williams said she has found that more and more citizens are willing to talk to officers.
Williams said the pandemic and COVID restrictions made community interaction much more difficult for officers and she's excited things are "getting back to normal."
"The all-encompassing endeavor and the contact with the community have to be great," Williams said.
Despite recent challenges, Williams said she has seen her department come together as a family in ways she’s not seen them do in a long time.
"When you’re a family and things seem to be at it’s worse, you get closer," Williams said.
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