Some of you may be familiar with my background. I was able to live out my dream as a Phoenix Police Officer for 36 and a half years, rising to the rank of Assistant Police Chief, with stops that have included graduating from the FBI’s National Academy and their National Executive Institute.  Also, for over twenty years, I’ve been lecturing at ASU in the criminal justice and criminology program.

I mention these experiences because I believe they leave me uniquely qualified to assess our current situation with the Department of Justice. I think it is extremely important that the DOJ present its findings to the City Council before any agreements are signed.

I don’t think it has been unreasonable for the DOJ to investigate our department, and I do not oppose further action if it is warranted, but we must be allowed to make an informed decision based on the report the DOJ has put together.    

Our department is far from perfect, but I can point to many times that we accepted valid criticism and worked to make changes that reflected what the community desired. One particular instance of this was when Phoenix PD became one of the first departments to fully implement Tasers to prevent lethal interactions. Phoenix was ahead of the curve on this because we understood change was needed.

The DOJ’s findings may indicate that outside monitoring is necessary, but we can’t know that until we see their report. As Councilmembers, part of our responsibility is to ensure not only the safety of our citizens but to manage the money we spend as a city. Signing a consent decree could mean hundreds of millions of dollars diverted from services our residents need, as well as added strain on our police department.

This may all be necessary, but all I ask of the DOJ is that we have the opportunity to educate ourselves on the findings, rather than signing an agreement without the full context.

Thank you,

Kevin Robinson

Phoenix City Councilman, District 6