New Voices: Lessons from Phoenix’s Police Chief

Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Phoenix Police Chief, Jeri Williams, is head of the nation’s sixth largest city’s police force. A recent USA Today interview sheds some insight on her ideas and what Phoenix has been doing.

On the importance of listening first before offering solutions:

“I’m not going to say what policies or rules I want changed. I really want to hear that from the community. I really want to see what the rub is for them so we can work through the process of making whatever adjustments we need to while at the same time making sure we’re in the confines of the law, policy and procedure.”

“We are constantly engaged with our community. The path and the way forward is having those conversations that are not comfortable, that are rough, that are challenging. But we have to listen to one another.”

Here is what Phoenix Police have already done

– Records data of any incidence where an officer points a firearm at someone
– Records and makes public all data involving police shootings
– Added on-body cameras
– Makes public on-body camera video
– Helped create civilian oversight office

There is much more to read in the entire article, view here.

— Taxpayer Association post-script: Because the chaos on America’s streets has been historic and because the issue of race is among America’s most complicated and heart-rendering issues the Taxpayer Association is publishing short update articles that include new constructive voices as part of a “new voices” series. We mean “new” as in reaching out to different voices, people and perspectives outside of our own.   If you have a suggestion of a “new voice” please email us at [email protected]