Phoenix City Council unveils plans for enhancements to solve homelessness crisis
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Phoenix City Council adopted measures Tuesday, Sept. 24, officials say marks the beginning of significant efforts to make public safety improvements along with significant efforts to serve those experiencing homelessness within municipal bounds.
The Department of Justice in August 2021 announced a Civil Pattern or Practice investigation into the claims of excessive force at the Phoenix Police Department, which at the time marked the 71st investigation of the nature since the Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
Phoenix leaders published its ‘road to reform’ document available HERE, which local policymakers say sought a technical assistance letter from the DOJ rather than a formal consent decree.
Since that time city leaders have worked to implement new initiatives including implementation of body-worn cameras, the implementation of a Crisis Intervention Team, and the creation of the Office of Accountability and Transparency.
Of Note: Phoenix City Council has approved expansion of the Community Assistance Program, which facilitates sending trained experts to respond to calls for service where an individual is experiencing a behavioral health crisis or substance use concern.
Following an hours-long policy session yesterday, city leaders provided the general public a synopsis of improvements under way as a result of the DOJ investigation, including:
- Use of force policy update to emphasize necessary, reasonable and proportional use of force.
- Integrating communications, assessment and tactics training, which focuses on deescalation techniques with people armed with something other than a firearm.
- Active bystandership for law enforcement training, which empowers employees to intervene in a situation involving misconduct.
- Expansion of the less lethal program to make tools like the 40mm projectile and Pepperball launchers available throughout patrol squads.
- Development of the organizational integrity bureau, which includes the continuous improvement unit dedicated to ensuring ongoing policy review, sustainable improvements and compliance auditing.
Found part of the DOJ investigation is a list of 37 remedial measures for the Phoenix Police Department to implement to which Phoenix City Council moved forward short-term goals Tuesday, including:
- Implementation of the new Use of Force Policy.
- Policy implementation and supervisor review of unattended property
- Data forms to gather information on vehicle and pedestrian stops to eliminate racial disparities.
- Releasing new First Amendment policy for public review and input
- Develop and implement improved training for 911 dispatchers related to behavioral health.
- Create new policies and standards of practice for interactions with youth
- Launch of cultural competency training in partnership with tribal nation police departments.
- Explore youth prevention programming.
- Explore additional services to be provided by civilian staff, rather than sworn Phoenix Police Department employees.
Phoenix City Council unanimously passed recommendations presented by Mayor Kate Gallego, Public Safety Chairman Kevin Robinson and Councilwoman Kesha Hodge-Washington, including the creation of a DOJ compliance analyst team at City Hall.
Phoenix City Council efforts to serve those experiencing homelessness
At the Tuesday, Sept. 24 policy session Phoenix City Council heard about the effects of efforts made to serve better those experiencing homelessness including the creation of the Office of Homeless Solutions in 2022.
Officials at City Hall point out the most recent Maricopa Association of Governments Point-in-Time Homelessness Count showed a 19% drop in the number of unsheltered individuals in Phoenix.
Other key initiatives the result of Phoenix City Council action include:
- Adding a net total of 1,382 new indoor shelter beds since 2022
- Opening the city’s first structured campground called the Safe Outdoor Space.
- Implementation of a process for storage of unattended property
- Launching services in support of the Phoenix Community Court as an alternative path to the traditional criminal justice system for those experiencing homelessness.
- Improving heat response efforts for those experiencing homelessness including addition of a 24/7 site, an overnight site, and three extended hour heat respite locations.
- The mayor and City Council converted 14 temporary OHS positions were to ongoing, regular positions to continue to the positive moment um of the office.
“The mayor and City Council have facilitated many improvements in the last several years. Under their leadership, we will continue those improvements. Additionally, we are now placing a larger emphasis on service delivery and building the model for measuring and demonstrating our performance.” Phoenix City Manager Jeff Barton said in a press release. “We need to collect data related to these changes so we can demonstrate the level of accountability our community demands.”
Improving accountability, development of new policy and improved employee training was a central theme throughout the Sept. 24 policy session.
“We want to make changes and we want the changes outlined in today’s policy session to happen quickly,” Mr. Barton said. “This is why our intent is to begin productive conversations with the DOJ in an effort to find a mutually acceptable resolution that will allow us to make changes at the local level, while being transparent with our community about our progress.”
