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In an effort to keep our community informed, the Phoenix Police Department would like to let you know that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is conducting a Civil Pattern or Practice inquiry into the Phoenix Police Department. The department welcomes this inquiry to help us understand how we can better serve the community. It is important to note that this investigation is an investigation of systems and policies identifying practices or patterns related to specific areas. This is not an investigation of individuals or any one specific incident. 

To provide feedback, give input, or find out more about this process you can contact the DOJ directly at 866-432-0335 or email phoenix.community@usdoj.gov. 

​If you are having trouble reaching the DOJ, please feel free to contact the Phoenix Police Department Liaison Team at ppd.dojinvestigation@phoenix.gov. ​

Polices and Training Materials 

 August 3, 2023 - Two Year DOJ Update

 August 5, 2021 - News Conference


 FAQ

What specifically will they be looking into? 

  1. Whether PPD uses excessive force, including deadly force 
  2. Whether PPD engages in discriminatory policing practices 
  3. Whether PPD retaliates against individuals engaged in protests or demonstrations 
  4. How the City and PPD deal with behavioral health disabilities and those in crisis
  5. Whether the City and PPD violate the rights of those experiencing homelessness by unlawfully seizing and disposing of their belongings.

Who will be doing the investigation? 

​Lawyers from the Department of Justice will be conducting the investigation and they will bring in police subject matter experts to assist them. 


​Is this a civil or criminal investigation? 

This is a civil investigation. They are not looking to criminally investigate individual officers. 

Who will they be interviewing? 

Investigators will be talking directly with people throughout the police department as well as other city employees. They will also be taking input from the community. Phoenix.Community@usdoj.gov​.

How long will the investigation last?​ 

That is difficult to predict. The last two investigations of similar police departments in Baltimore and Chicago took a little more than a year. 


Will this investigation have any effect on the services police provide to the community? 

 No. The Phoenix Police Department is committed to the mission to protect, serve and reduce crime, while treating everyone with dignity and respect. Any changes, policy reviews, or reforms currently underway will continue as planned. The DOJ has encouraged us to move forward with reforms and changes we have in progress. ​


What does pattern or practice specifically mean?

The DOJ conducts an independent review to bring to light any persistent patterns of misconduct and whether systemic deficiencies enable it to persist. They are evaluating repeating behavior as opposed to one-time events.

 Timeline

2021 

Week of August 2

DOJ opens a Pattern or Practice Investigation into the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department.

City and police leadership meet with DOJ to discuss the process of investigation.

Week of August 9

DOJ holds the first community meeting virtually for input from the public.

Week of August 16

DOJ discusses records retention ​with city.

Week of August 23

City staff provides DOJ with citywide record retention schedules, Arizona’s minimum retention requirements for law enforcement agencies and Phoenix Police Department retention schedules.

Week of August 30

City and PPD creates interdisciplinary teams designed to facilitate cooperation with the DOJ investigation. This includes a six (6) member Liaison Team within the police department, headed up by an Asst. Chief.

​Week of September 6

DOJ requests 70 items related to policies and procedures, training, supervision, organizational structure and leadership, behavioral health response, response to those experiencing homelessness and data/technology systems.

Week of September 13

DOJ and City/PD leaders meet to discuss protocols on how to deliver the information requested as well as discussing retention schedules and the litigation hold.

PPD Liaison Team attends patrol briefings to outline the purpose and objectives of DOJ liaison team and fields questions about the investigation.

Week of September 20

DOJ begins scheduling virtual site visits and virtual interviews, set to begin next week.

Staff fulfills first request for documents.

Week of September 27

DOJ virtual interviews with city employees begin.​

Staff evaluates needs for software to streamline document sharing process with DOJ.

​Week of October 4

PPD staff holds community meeting to raise awareness about the DOJ investigation and answer questions.

PPD Liaison Team attends additional patrol and specialty briefings to update staff on the investigation and answer questions. 

Week of October 11

PPD Liaison Team meets with the police department’s American Indian Advisory Board to provide information and answer questions about investigation. 

Week of October 18

Staff discusses and reviews mock-ups of DOJ Community Resource page on phoenix.gov. 

Document sharing software added to Phoenix City Council agenda to efficiently provide DOJ with requested documents. 

Week of October 25

City launches Department of Justice Community Resources website at phoenix.gov/DOJ to answer frequently asked questions and provide a timeline of ongoing investigation.

Phoenix City Council approves contract for software to assist in the delivery of city documents to the DOJ.

PPD Liaison team gives presentation and answers community questions in meetings with Cactus Park Community Alliance and Coffee with a Cop in the Black Mountain Precinct.​

​Week of November 1

PPD Liaison Team and city staff meet with residents from community and neighborhood groups to discuss and answer questions about the investigation.

City meets with DOJ investigators for a debrief and status update on the investigation.​

Week of November 8

City staff and DOJ discussed status of document requests and city systems.​​​

Week of November 15

​City Staff completed the response to the September 9 request for documents from the Department of Justice by sharing over 53,000 documents.

Staff continues evaluation of software to streamline document sharing process with DOJ.

Week of November 29

DOJ attends virtual meeting with community stakeholders in the Desert Horizon Precinct.​

City staff are evaluating firms to provide outside legal counsel specific to DOJ investigation.

Members of the PPD Liaison Team meet with the Crisis Community Collaborative, answering questions regarding the DOJ Investigation.

City meets with staff from Minneapolis on the status of their DOJ investigation.

City conducts interviews with several law firms who submitted offers for outside counsel in the DOJ investigation.

Staff attends workshops and discussions surrounding those experiencing homelessness and constitutional policing under consent decrees with other entities

Staff attends a demonstration of the e-discovery tool to process documents for DOJ production.​​

​Week of December 6 & 13

City staff continue to meet to discuss logistics for providing access to  PPD systems to DOJ Investigators.   

​​Week of December 20 & 27

City staff provided the DOJ a virtual demonstration of the PPD's records management system.

City staff continue to meet to discuss logistics for providing access to PPD systems to DOJ Investigators.    

​​​​

2022​

​Week of January 3

City s​taff attends training for new e-discovery system to process documents for DOJ production. 

City staff meets with DOJ to discuss next steps in the investigation. 

​Staff continues evaluation of software systems for document sharing and demonstrations of systems with DOJ.​

Week of January 10

City Staff continue to train on ​City’s new e-discovery system to process documents for DOJ production.

City staff have four meetings with DOJ to demonstrate several City systems, and a meeting to discuss an agreement for access to City systems.

PPD Liaison Team to DOJ gives presentation to a north central business group. ​

Week of January 17

​Staff meets with contracted outside counsel team. 

Staff continues to discuss permissions access and the sharing of data systems with the DOJ. 

PPD Liaison Team gives virtual presentation to City Council District 3’s Community Meeting.​

Week of January 31

​DOJ participates in virtual tour of the Phoenix Police Department, focusing on policy development and training, including interviews and observation of recruit training classes. ​

Members of the PPD Liaison Team briefed Academy recruit class regarding DOJ classroom observation.

City staff and DOJ investigators debrief and plan for further virtual interviews and classroom observation.​

​Week of February 7​

C​ity staff presented information about the DOJ investigation at a Phoenix Community Alliance committee meeting.    

DOJ Investigators observe the Interactive Survival Training block of instruction for ​​​Academy Class #552     

Week of February 14

​DOJ continues virtual tour with further interviews and observation of recruit training class. ​

City receives second request for documents and information from DOJ including 133 items related to data systems, use of force/response to resistance, misconduct/discipline, homelessness and the Ballard Spahr investigations into the challenge coin and October 17 protest charges.

​ Week of February 21​

City Staff continue interviews with PPD and DOJ Investigators  

City staff meet with DOJ Investigators to discuss data and systems sharing. 

DOJ Investigators continue to virtually observe the PPD Recruit Academy class trainings.  
Week of February 28

City Staff and DOJ continue to discuss production of documents and sharing access to City data systems. 

DOJ Investigators virtually observe a recruit class on traffic stops​

​Week of March 7

City staff prepare material to fulfill DOJ document request.​

City staff meet with DOJ to discuss first on-site visit.

Week of March 14

City staff attends Phoenix Police Asian American Advisory Board meeting to present information about DOJ investigation.

(see Community Briefings PowerPoint Presentation under Resources on main DOJ page) 

City staff continues to coordinate two proposed upcoming in person site visits by DOJ investigators and respond to document production requests.  

Week of March 21

City staff continues to coordinate two upcoming in person site visits by DOJ investigators.

City staff responds to DOJ’s document production requests.  

Week of March 28 

DOJ team visits a number of police precincts over a two-day period and conducts ride-a-longs in each of those precincts, as well as demonstrations and review of police technology and systems. 

City staff continues to respond to DOJ’s request for documents and databases.

City staff attend two-day conference regarding consent decrees.

​Week of April​ 4

City staff discuss DOJ investigative findings in other jurisdictions.

City staff continues to make arrangements for the second in-person site visit by DOJ investigators and respond to systems and document requests.

Week of April 11

DOJ conducts virtual interview and receives a virtual homelessness program presentation from city staff
City staff  meet with DOJ investigators to plan for in-person visit and discuss sharing access to City data systems

City posts recruitment for an Assistant Chief candidate with DOJ knowledge and experience

​ Week of April 18

DOJ conducts virtual interviews with employees from Law and Police Departments.

City staff have a meeting with DOJ to discuss confidentiality and user agreements for access to City systems.

Week of April 25

​DOJ investigator team conducts second site visit. The team reviewed city services and response to people experiencing homelessness, First Amendment and protest practices, toured the Police Academy and observed classes, and conducted ride-a-longs with various squads and city departments.

​Week of May 2

DOJ Investigators observe off-duty safety instruction for recruit class.

City staff and DOJ exchange emails to begin planning for the third in-person site visit and additional virtual interviews.

City staff respond to additional document requests from the site visits, and meet to debrief and plan.

Week of May 9

DOJ and city staff conduct several meetings to discuss further interviews for investigation and document production.

DOJ virtually observes recruit class instruction on crowd control formation and tactics.

City staff continue to debrief last visit, plan for the next DOJ in-person visit and review further documents for production.

​ Week of May 16

City staff present to DOJ on the Quality Assurance program at Phoenix.

DOJ cancels in person visit  scheduled for the following week due to illness.​

Week of May 23

City receives a new request from the DOJ. This third document request specifically relates to the City response to First Amendment protected activities as well as interaction with underaged residents.

City receives a follow up on the first and second production requests to clarify and make further requests for document production and information.

​ Week of May 30

No updates

​Week of June 6

City staff continue to work on DOJ’s Third Request for document production.

City staff and DOJ discuss next in-person visit schedule and request for production regarding document formatting and email searches​.

Week of June 27

DOJ investigator team conducts third site visit. The team toured two precincts and conducted ride-a-longs and interviews of Neighborhood Enforcement Teams and Community Action Officers.

The City prepared and produced a general information update for City Council on the status of the DOJ investigation to date, which was published July 1. Read update here.

City staff received City Council approval for document review contracts to assist the city in producing documents for the investigation.

City staff continue to work on document and systems production and  preparing for the next on-site visit.​

​Week of July 4

City staff meet with DOJ investigators to discuss July site visit, feedback from prior visit and production of documents.

City staff attended the Chief’s LGBTQ Advisory Board meeting to provide community members with an update on the status of the investigation.​

Week of July 11 

DOJ conducts virtual interview and met with City staff to discuss document production.

The PPD Liaison Team attended the Faith Based Advisory Board meeting.​

Week of July 18

DOJ in person visit conducting interviews with Police personnel regarding Community Resources and Tactical Response Units.

Week of July 25 

City staff meets with DOJ investigators regarding document production. 

City staff meet with technology consultant for evaluation of new RMS system.​

​Week of August 1​

City staff meets virtually with DOJ investigators to discuss requirements for the third request for documents and information.​

City staff presented supplemental materials to DOJ investigators related to performance measures.

Week of August 8​

Staff completed production for DOJ’s second request for documents and information and met virtually with DOJ to discuss the third request for documents.​

DOJ interviewed staff regarding City programs and approach to behavioral health disabilities.

Week of August 15

City staff continues working on production of requested files and information to fulfill  DOJ’s third request for documents.

City staff prepares for DOJ visit the week of August 23rd.​

Week of August 22

DOJ completes 5th site visit including ride-a-longs and interviews related to the focus areas of people with disabilities and individuals experiencing homelessness.

DOJ attends community meeting at the Maryvale-Estrella Mountain Precinct.​

Week of August 29

Staff met online with DOJ to discuss technical and systems matters.

​Staff continued to compile information for presentations to DOJ in September.

​Week of September 5​

City staff met virtually with the DOJ to discuss the status of the investigation.

City staff continue to work on virtual presentations to give to DOJ in September regarding City’s Professional Standards Bureau, Compliance and Oversight Bureau, Discipline Review Board, Tactical Support Bureau, Training Review Committee,  Driving Analysis Committee, Critical Incident Review Board and City Auditor.

Week of September 12
City staff gives overview to the DOJ team of the Professional Standards Bureau, Disciplinary Review Board processes and  the Compliance and Oversight Bureau’s roles and function.
City staff receives the DOJ’s fourth request for documents with a focus on Behavioral Health Response and Crisis System.

City staff, including Chief Williams, meets with Interim Chief Sullivan to provide background and status of DOJ investigation.

Week of September 19

Members of the Training Review Committee, Driving Analysis Committee and the Critical Incident Review Board presented to DOJ investigators their role and function.

City Auditor staff provided a presentation to DOJ staff of the auditor functions

City Staff met to review and outline the fourth DOJ request for documentation​

City staff presented the results of the Crisis Intervention Review Committee pilot to Executive Staff and received feedback regarding improvements​.

City staff presented information on a pilot for a Force Analysis Unit for enhanced review of police responses to resistance to start this Fall.

Week of September 26 

City staff meets virtually with DOJ investigators to review items from the third request for documents and information. 

DOJ requests documents in reference to several presentations from city staff over the past month; these documents will assist DOJ with planning the October site visit. 

DOJ and city staff meets virtually to discuss technical and systems issues. 

City staff discusses consultant and training options for Relativity e-discovery software for the production of documents to DOJ.​​​

​Week of October 3​

​​City staff meets with DOJ investigators to review documents and information they requested.

 City staff continues to work on producing documents in response to DOJ investigators request to prepare for October visit.

Week of October 10

 City staff met with DOJ for an interview discussing  the police staffing and rebid process. 

Recruitment for DOJ IT Program Manager opened.​

City staff met virtually with several individuals who worked with Baltimore PD on their DOJ investigation and the Baltimore consent decree

Week of October 17

City Staff visit City of Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department to learn about their history, their consent decree and identify emerging best practices.​

Week of October 24

DOJ completes 6th site visit including precinct staff interviews and patrol ride-a-longs at the Black Mountain and Maryvale-Estrella Mountain Precincts.

The DOJ team attended and observed a Supervisor Leadership training, Use of force advanced officer training, and a recruit class on high risk stops and ballistic shields at the Phoenix Police Academy.

DOJ also interviewed staff and toured the Compliance and Oversight Bureau at Historic City Hall, toured and interviewed Special Investigations Detail at the Family Advocacy Center, and shadowed a school resource officer at Desert Sands Middle School.​

​Week of November 7​​

Staff continues gathering records for DOJ Request for Production #4. 

Staff continues processing information from interviews and DOJ follow-up requests. 

Staff reviews options for document production technology training providers.

Week of November 21 

Staff continues to work on gathering records for DOJ Requests for Production and exploring technology solution​s.

Week of November 28

Staff continues working on Requests for Production Items.

Staff met online with DOJ to discuss follow-up on interviews from the October site visit and documents they have requested from their visit

​Week of December​ 5

Staff meet virtually with DOJ to discuss technical issues with RMS system queries. 

DOJ Investigators virtually observe the Training Bureau’s Tactical Response Unit—Field Force certification training. DOJ observed the following blocks of instruction: TRU Legal

Considerations (PPD Legal Unit staff), Mass Arrest Protocol (Violent Crimes Bureau—Assaults Unit staff), and Crowd Control Techniques (Tactical Training Detail staff).

Week of December 12 

City staff prepare documents and answers for review for DOJ document requests with DOJ next week​.

 ​​​​​​​​​​​

2023 

Week of January 2​

City staff continues working on internal projects and document production requests

Staff completes a large DOJ follow-up request for training materials, including videos and incident reports related to those videos that were used in Academy classes.

Week of January 9 

The Office of Homeless solutions met virtually with the DOJ to discuss Phoenix homeless programs that provide emergency shelter and other services to community members.

 

Staff prepared draft Use of Force policy for public feedback.​​

Week of January 16

City staff posted the draft Use of Force policy on phoenix.gov/newsroom/police for internal and external feedback.

City staff completed the fourth Requests for Production (RFP) of documents to DOJ.

DOJ and city staff participated in an online meeting to discuss technical questions regarding the Police's Records Management System (RMS). 

Week of January 23

City staff continued working with DOJ to provide access to the Police Record Management System (RMS).

City staff continued to prepare material to fulfill outstanding DOJ document requests.

Public comments are being taken for the draft Use of Force Policy.​

Week of January 30

Public comment period ended for the draft use of force policy; city staff are reviewing comments.

 City staff continued to respond to DOJ document requests and questions. 

Week of February 6

City staff met virtually with several individuals who worked with the Seattle Police Department on their DOJ investigation and monitoring.​

​Week of February 13

City staff met with the DOJ to provide technical assistance as the DOJ works to understand and reconstruct applications from City's databases for review and access.​

Week of February 20

Staff continued to work on gathering records for DOJ production and answer questions related to their requests.

Week of February 27

City staff continued to provide technical assistance to the DOJ to understand and reconstruct City databases for review and access.

City staff continued to work on gathering records for DOJ production and answer questions related to their requests.​

Week of March 6

​City staff met with the DOJ to plan for the April site visit.

Week of March 13 

No updates.

Week of March 20

No updates.

Week of March 27

DOJ staff virtually observed training at PD Academy.

City staff worked to coordinate DOJ site visit for the week of April 10.

Week of April 10

City staff hosted the DOJ for its seventh site visit.

DOJ conducted interviews of staff on the Community Assistance (CAP) and Field Training Officer (FTO) programs, and the Public Records Request process. 

The DOJ team attended and observed Small Team Tactics and High Risk Stops training at the Phoenix Police Academy.

Week of April 17

City staff began the process of sharing body-worn camera video with the DOJ.

Week of April 24

​No updates.

Week of May 1

City staff met online with the DOJ to discuss and clarify outstanding records requests.

City staff continue to share body-worn camera video with the DOJ.

​Week of May 8

City staff continue to produce records and body-worn camera video to the DOJ.

Week of May 15

City staff met virtually with the DOJ to debrief the recent site visit.

Week of May 26 

​City staff met virtually with the DOJ to discuss ongoing record and video productions.

Week of June 5

City staff met virtually with the DOJ to answer technical questions related to the City's Computer Aided Dispatch system.

Week of June 12th

No updates

Week of June 19th

City staff received questions and requests for clarification from DOJ on documents previously produced.

City staff continued producing documents and Body Worn Camera (BWC) examples for DOJ.

City staff continued gathering public comments on Revised Use of Force Policy.

Week of June 26th

 City staff met virtually with DOJ subject matter experts for feedback on Use of Force Policy.

City staff continued producing documents and Body Worn Camera (BWC) examples for DOJ

 Week of July 3rd

City staff continued producing documents and Body Worn Camera (BWC) examples for DOJ.

 City staff discussed the status of the investigation regarding production and pending interviews with DOJ.​

Week of July 10th

City staff continued producing documents for DOJ​.

Week of July 17th

DOJ conducted interviews virtually with PD Staff.

City staff continued producing documents and Body Worn Camera (BWC) examples for DOJ.

 






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DOJ Update Jan. 2023

DOJ Update June 2022

Contact the DOJ

​​​866-432-0335
phoenix.community@usdoj.gov

Resources

​Community ​Briefings Presentation

Informational Flyer 

English | E​spañol​ (PDF)​​

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