A former Tempe police commander has accused city officials of misusing confidential police data to track homeless individuals and advocates. In a letter to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the commander’s attorney said City Manager Rosa Inchausti and others may have accessed the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System to monitor advocates Austin Davis of AZ Hugs and Ron Tapscott of New Meal Deal, both previously cited for providing food without a permit. The city denied the claim, stating, “City Manager Rosa Inchausti is not authorized to access ACJIS databases and has never requested or received ACJIS information,” as reported by ABC15. The Department of Public Safety is reviewing the letter and has not commented further.
The Phoenix New Times reported that Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy was accused of sharing sensitive Arizona Criminal Justice Information System data about homeless individuals and their advocates with city officials. McCoy denied this, saying, "The claims in Mr. Henke’s letter are categorically false, defamatory, and wholly unsupported by facts." Johnson’s lawyer also claimed the Threat Mitigation Unit was directed to monitor advocates Davis and Tapscott during food distribution in city parks, and that Assistant Chief Dane Sorensen was told to track demographic data on homeless individuals. Sorensen denied the allegations, stating, "I have never shared ACJIS information with anyone who is not authorized – ever." The issue comes as Tempe officials continue to face disputes over the city’s approach to homelessness in public spaces.
Rashidi Johnson has also filed a racial discrimination complaint against the Tempe Police Department, claiming he was assigned to a task because of his race and faced months of harassment and retaliation. The city and other involved parties deny any misconduct. The situation involves legal disputes while advocates continue efforts to help people experiencing homelessness.
