Phoenix has opened the digital doors to its past, unveiling a new website aimed at providing insights into the law enforcement incidents highlighted in a recent Department of Justice report. The City of Phoenix announced the launch, which follows a June 13 DOJ report. The site serves as a repository for incident reports, closed investigations, videos, and other related materials. According to a statement from the City of Phoenix's newsroom, Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan explained, "Evidence like incident reports, body worn camera videos and internal review documents are crucial to understand each incident described by DOJ."
In their efforts to refine the workings of the Phoenix Police Department, city officials seek to be "self-assessing and self-correcting," as highlighted by Sullivan in the city’s newsroom. The DOJ report, notably lacking specific details on incident numbers or dates, necessitated extensive work by city staff to decipher and upload associated materials to the site. This has resulted in the inclusion of relevant documents and videos culled from some 179,000 documents and 22,000 body-worn camera videos provided during the DOJ investigation.
Meanwhile, City Manager Jeff Barton emphasized the city's commitment to transparency, saying, "We believe the community deserves information associated with these events, and the website gives people access to the facts," as noted by the City of Phoenix's newsroom. The launch aligns with Phoenix's intent to act upon the DOJ's recommended remedial measures, including a sharper focus on accountability, and training reforms.
The extensive website allows users to navigate the incidents more easily, organizing them by categories like "Use of Force" and "Protected Speech," and marking them with designations like "U01" or "B02" to correspond with the DOJ report’s contents. For example, an incident from 03/31/2022 referenced as “B02” details a case involving behavioral health. For those seeking a deeper dive into Phoenix's law enforcement reforms, a visit to the DOJ Resources web page will offer materials outlining ongoing reforms, transparency measures, and monthly updates on the 34-month federal investigation.
