Message from Vice Mayor Ann O'Brien
We celebrated significant milestones in public safety this week! First, we welcomed our new Police Chief Matt Giordano back to the department where his career began nearly three decades ago. In my one-on-one meeting with the Chief, he made it clear that addressing staffing shortages will be his top priority, along with continuing to strengthen community trust, and supporting the dedicated men and women who serve Phoenix. With his deep ties to our city, commitment to officer well-being, and passion for continuous improvement, Chief Giordano is ready to lead our department into a safer, stronger future!
On Thursday, I helped celebrate the newest class of 18 Phoenix Police Officers. While attending the Department’s graduation ceremony, I was touched by their dedication and excitement. These men and women have completed months of rigorous training and are ready to serve with integrity. I’m proud of each and every one of them, and know they will make a positive difference across Phoenix!
Our newest officers come at a time when we’re enhancing safety through technology. The Police Department gets more than 500,000 non-emergency calls annually. When I learned our 911 dispatchers were responsible for handling both emergency and non-emergency calls—and that many residents making non-emergency calls were hanging up due to long wait times—I committed to finding a solution. I’m excited to share that the Police Department has launched a new AI-powered system for Crime Stop, which is our non-emergency line, 602-262-6151.The system speaks up to 36 languages and quickly asks a few questions to direct callers to the right resource. You can always choose to speak with a live dispatcher if you prefer, but for things like noise complaints, parking problems, or other non-urgent matters, this new system will get you connected faster and keep our emergency lines clear for true emergencies.
The results are in for Phoenix’s Community Safety Plans and crime is down! Three years ago, the City devoted more resources to areas along the I-17 corridor. We combined technology like license plate readers and gunshot detectors, along with community partnerships, and environmental improvements to tackle crime and improve quality of life—and the results speak for themselves. In District 1’s Metro area, shoplifting is down 69%, burglaries are down 53%, and overall crime is down 35%. You can read the full report here.
Finally, I was thrilled to take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate Phase II improvements at Surrey Park! Last summer, we opened a beautiful new playground that quickly became a favorite spot for families. Now, we’ve added a basketball court, volleyball court, bocce ball court and corn hole, along with sidewalk upgrades and more trees for shade. These improvements make Surrey Park an even better place for neighbors to gather, play, and relax. I’m so grateful to our Parks and Recreation team and everyone who helped bring this project to life!
Ann
Vice Mayor, District 1
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