Brian Issitt Appointed as Goodyear's New Police Chief, Bringing Decades of Experience and Community Focus to Role

The City of Goodyear has officially appointed Brian Issitt as the new Chief of Police, starting August 5. With a career spanning over two decades in law enforcement, Issitt was selected after a rigorous national recruitment process. According to a statement by City Manager Wynette Reed, Issitt's wealth of experience and personal passion for public service have poised him uniquely for this crucial leadership position.

"Brian brings tremendous experience to our city and has worked his way up through the ranks during his career. He is a police officer who has been through the good and the bad while protecting the public, which will give him great perspective in this leadership role," Reed stated. Reed also noted Issitt's "I am so impressed with Brian's passion for what he does and for his eagerness to help lead Goodyear's public safety mission in this time of growth." Issitt's prior roles include serving as a commander with the Phoenix Police Department, where his responsibilities covered various operational units. After retiring in 2023, Issitt continued serving in law enforcement as the Deputy Director of the Department of Liquor Licenses and Control.

The Goodyear community can expect Issitt to bring a strong foundation of respect and integrity to the position, qualities that were instilled in him from an early age by his father, who also served as a police officer. In a recent statement, Brian Issitt recounted the poignant advice he received from his father when he began his policing career: "When he pinned my badge on me in 2001 after I graduated from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy, he told me two things. First, show respect to everyone. Second, don't do anything that would tarnish the badge.  I have lived up to that calling and have those same expectations of everyone whom I am fortunate enough to lead."

Issitt's appointment comes as Goodyear continues to expand at a rapid pace. At the Phoenix Police Department, he managed the training and strategic development of multiple units. His educational background includes earning two master's degrees and graduating from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Session 276, where he was elected class speaker and president. "Having the opportunity to lead the men and women of the Goodyear Police Department is a lifelong dream come true," said Issitt, according to a report by the city’s official press release. 

Athletics played a formative role in shaping Issitt's character traits such as hard work, determination, and teamwork, learned through his time on the baseball and football fields during his youth. Issitt was a high school student-athlete who earned a Division I scholarship and was also drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1995 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.