| Councilwoman O’Brien Announces Plan to Make Phoenix Police Officers Highest Paid Arizona Law Enforcement Agency | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/district-1/2378 | | City Council District 1 | 6/9/2022 3:30:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2378/Newsroom_Council_Statement_01.jpg | | Councilwoman O’Brien Announces Plan to Make Phoenix Police Officers Highest Paid Arizona Law Enforcement Agency | <div class="ExternalClassE8966A4C65C64AC88B6A793E1170EDA1"><html>
"For decades the City of Phoenix Police Department was the go-to for a career in law enforcement. Academy classes would fill every seat in the classroom. Venues the size of small theaters would be rented for family and friends to join cadets in their graduation ceremonies. But, when the financial crisis of 2008 hit and Phoenix needed to find creative solutions to lessen the impact, the Council at the time put a freeze on hiring new officers. In doing so, we also froze our ability to stay competitive.<br><br>
Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the country and ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors is of the utmost importance. In an increasingly competitive job market where Phoenix is competing with our fellow municipalities, the county and the state, we needed to find a solution to retain our officers and provide an enticing incentive in the recruitment of more officers.<br><br>
When I came into office last year, I made police staffing levels one of my top priorities. I quickly called a strategy group together of various stakeholders comprised of Police Union leaders, Assistant City Manager Lori Bays, Human Resources Director David Mathews, Executive Assistant Chief Mike Kurtenbach, and Chief Jeri Williams to begin discussions on increasing compensation levels for our new recruits and existing officers.<br><br>
After performing a compensation study and researching other jurisdiction's pay rates, we realized our officers were sitting at the bottom of the scale compared to our sister municipalities. We then pulled in City Manager Jeff Barton and Budget Director Amber Williamson to crunch the numbers. As a result, we were able to come up with a plan to restructure the salary scale to ensure every officer will receive greater earning potential and no one will see a decrease in pay.<br><br>
This plan, if approved by my fellow councilmembers, will ensure Phoenix once again has the most competitive and attractive police department in Arizona by ensuring our officers and recruits will be the highest paid department throughout the state of Arizona by 10 percent!<br><br>
I am beyond thankful to staff for seeing a problem and being so willing to tackle it head on with me. We still have so much work to do in order to bring the number of sworn officers back to where we were prior to the 2008 financial crisis, but this salary restructuring will certainly help!<br><br>
<p style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-align:justify;">Read more about my plan by <a target="_blank" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/police/2377" href="/newsroom/police/2377">clicking here</a>."<br></p>
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| Councilwoman O'Brien Wishes Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams Well in Retirement | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/district-1/2331 | | City Council District 1 | 5/3/2022 5:00:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2331/Newsroom_Council_Statement_01.jpg | | Councilwoman O'Brien Wishes Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams Well in Retirement | <div class="ExternalClass648445C6C64740949373BEB5AD612048"><html>
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“I am saddened by the news of Chief Jeri Williams’ retirement. Although, I have only gotten to know her over this last year, there simply couldn’t be a more deserving person for retirement.</p>
<p>Chief Williams served her first 22 years in Phoenix and left our department as an Assistant Chief to become Chief of Police in the City of Oxnard, California. While in Oxnard, Chief Williams oversaw the successful implementation of body worn cameras and has long been a supporter of technology and outfitting our officers with every tool they need to be successful. We managed to bring her home from California in October 2016 to serve as our Police Chief.</p>
<p>A 33-year career in law enforcement peppered with awards and accolades. During her time in California, Chief Williams was honored as the California Assembly District 44 Woman of the Year, thanks in part to her leadership and accomplishments as Chief. Here in Phoenix, Chief Williams was honored by the AZ Centennial Legacy Project as one of Arizona’s 48 most intriguing women, again for her leadership in law enforcement. And just last year, Chief Williams was appointed to the Arizona Peace Officer Standards & Training Board.<br></p>
<p>Chief Jeri Williams blazed a trail and will leave behind her success, leadership, and knowledge for her predecessor. She’s left big shoes to fill, but I know the Phoenix Police force has some of the most outstanding individuals, and we will find a worthy replacement to carry on Jeri’s legacy. I hope Chief Williams enjoys her retirement!"<br></p>
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| Councilwoman O'Brien Works with Phoenix Police to Bring Community Action Officers Back to Precincts | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/district-1/2310 | | City Council District 1 | 4/14/2022 1:30:00 AM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2310/Newsroom_Council_Statement_01.jpg | | Councilwoman O'Brien Works with Phoenix Police to Bring Community Action Officers Back to Precincts | <div class="ExternalClassC785508BDC40445593828AFAEABA74D0"><html>
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“When the announcement first came out that we were rolling back the number of Community Action Officers allotted to each precinct, I, and many of my constituents, were up in arms! The Community Action Officer (CAO) program is integral to community trust between our Phoenix Police Department and our neighborhoods. Even though we are at an all-time critical low of officers patrolling, it is important to me and my community that we continue our CAO program and keep that trust between neighbors and the officers who swore to protect them. I heard you loud and clear! Working closely with Chief Jeri Williams, we were able to keep one additional CAO in each precinct.”<br></p>
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| Councilwoman O'Brien Praises Phoenix City Council Passing of New Deer Valley Airport Restaurant | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/district-1/2303 | | City Council District 1 | 4/6/2022 10:00:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2303/Newsroom_Council_Statement_01.jpg | | Councilwoman O'Brien Praises Phoenix City Council Passing of New Deer Valley Airport Restaurant | <div class="ExternalClassFD758C3841D046628CC0671876EC83E3"><html>
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In more exciting news for Deer Valley Airport (DVT), the Phoenix City Council just voted 9-0 to approve a new restaurant for the DVT Terminal. This new restaurant will be called Barrio Brewing and is made possible in partnership with Kind Hospitality. Barrio Brewing will feature local micro brews and regional favorites, serving contemporary Mexican cuisine and traditional pub grub. Travelers and neighborhood patrons will enjoy an earthy, down-home, comfortable dining experience. Barrio Brewing is expected to be an anchor for what is to come for the DVT Terminal.</p>
<p>“I cannot express enough how thrilled my community and I are to see this restaurant space getting new life," Councilwoman Ann O'Brien said. "The previous restaurant hosted many community gatherings from former Councilwoman Williams’ monthly meetings to Community Alliances and Block Watch meetings. When that restaurant closed due to COVID, North Phoenix lost a treasured establishment in our community. I'm confident Barrio Brewing will become a new community hub." </p>
<p>The previous DVT Terminal restaurant was a classic diner-style that invited plane enthusiasts from all over the Valley to watch the planes take off and land. As a result of COVID-19 and the ongoing pandemic, the previous restaurant was forced to close its doors. Barrio Brewing is an existing concept based out of Tucson with an additional location in the Mesa-Gateway Airport. </p>
<p>In 2020, Deer Valley Airport was the fifth-busiest airport in the world for touch and goes, thanks to the two flight schools that operated out of the airport. Since the pandemic, one of the flight schools moved to the Goodyear Airport, leaving lots of room to expand and grow. Being one of few municipal airports in the country to have two runways, DVT is prime for an upgrade and pivot to match the needs of the transforming community around it.<br></p>
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| Councilwoman Ann O’Brien Recognizes National Vietnam War Veterans Day | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/district-1/2291 | | City Council District 1 | 3/29/2022 7:00:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2291/Newsroom_Council_Statement_01.jpg | | Councilwoman Ann O’Brien Recognizes National Vietnam War Veterans Day | <div class="ExternalClass96EBA52965E340F085141E696AD2986A"><html>
<p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:16px;background-color:window;color:windowtext;">Today, March 29, is National Vietnam War Veterans Day – a day to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families. I recently learned of the late Vietnam veteran Norman Coulter who served our country for 16 years. He received numerous medals including the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Bronze Star to name a few. In his final days, Norman faced a reality all too familiar to veterans – he became homeless.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:arial;">Join me in giving Norman the honor he deserves at a memorial service tomorrow, March 30, at 11 a.m. at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Norman will be placed next to his wife, whose cremated remains he has carried with him since she passed in 2011.<br></span>
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<strong>WHAT:</strong> Memorial Service for Vietnam Veteran Norman Coulter</span>
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<strong>WHEN:</strong> Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 11 a.m.</span>
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<strong>WHERE:</strong> National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona </span></span></p><br></html></div> | https://www.phoenix.gov/district1 | News | district-1 |
