Our Mission: To provide a safe community where people can live, work, and thrive.
In 2017, the dedication and collaboration displayed by the Bike Team was commendable. As a result, team members made over 300 arrests – many of which were felonies or subjects with outstanding warrants. The Team also made over 1,000 public contacts throughout the year. Each member of the team also worked with patrol officers throughout the City to identify beat or neighborhood problems, develop an action plan, and work to resolve the issues. As a result, a number of directed enforcement activities occurred. Also this year, several special details with the Criminal Investigations Bureaus were supported by the Bike Team. The details ranged from suspect apprehension and intelligence gathering to neighborhood canvases and surveillance. The Bike Team also supported SWAT, taught at the range, and taught in multiple officer training courses throughout the year. All of this was accomplished while one bike officer was assigned to the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy and another worked a portion of the year at the range.
Along with the excellent enforcement work performed by team, they also participated in numerous special events throughout the City. Some of the events included:
Other responsibilities that the Bike Team was involved in included:
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In 2017, the Canine Unit had handled 282 calls for service utilizing canine assists – both for the Chandler Police Department and for other agencies. These calls were comprised of a combination of narcotic and explosive detection, assisting SWAT for containment and apprehension, high risk stops, area searches for suspects and articles of evidence, building searches, search warrants and canine deterrence. Some of the details are as follows:
In addition to canine duties, officers in the Canine Unit took over 180 General Offenses reports, conducted 333 traffic stops, 1,700 frequent patrols and 850 foot patrols throughout the City of Chandler.
The Canine Unit conducted demonstrations for many groups and events including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN) events, the Police Department’s Citizens and Youth Academies, the Chandler Police Explorers (now known as Chandler Police Cadets), Rape Aggression Defense training classes, the Chandler School District, the Boy Scouts of America, Woofstock festival, and the Arizona Law Enforcement Canine Association.
Canine Unit handlers participated in handler selection boards for the Town of Maricopa and the Town of Gilbert. Members of the Canine Unit participated in the certification of many police service dogs from throughout the State of Arizona.
On a sad note, in 2017, the Police Department experienced the untimely retirement service dogs Robbie and Bronco due to terminal illnesses. Service dog Barry was also retired in good health. As a result, three new dogs joined the team: Benzo, Duko and Rex.
In 2017, Canine Officer Fitch was nominated for a lifesaving medal, where he was dispatched to a suicide call and upon arrival he conducted CPR on the victim. He sustained the victim’s life long enough to be transported the hospital where family members were able to say their goodbyes and the victim’s organs were able to be donated.
2017 saw the introduction of a new shoulder patch for the Canine Unit as displayed above.
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In January 2017, the Department reorganized the Crime Prevention Unit and moved the Crime Prevention Officers to each of three City’s three police precincts. They are now under the direction of Precinct command. As a result, the Crime Prevention Unit assumed the title of Community Resources Unit, which is comprised of the following: Police Cadets (formerly Police Explorers), Park Rangers, the Housing Unit, and the Police Reserve Program. Many other programs continue to fall under this unit to include the Department’s Citizens and Youth Academies, the Citizens Police Academy Association of Chandler (CPAAC), the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and the “Return Me Safe” Program. Finally, the supervisor of this unit is responsible for oversight of many City and Department sponsored events such as Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (GAIN), Safety and Veterans’ Expo (SAVE), and the annual Public Safety Day Open House.
Other accomplishments for the Community Resources Unit include the following:
During 2017, the Criminal Apprehension Unit’s (CAU) apprehension numbers continue to hold steady, averaging five felony arrests a week for an annual total of over 250 felony arrests. These resulted from a combination of felony probable cause cases and outstanding warrants. In conjunction with these arrests, CAU has also self-generated over 50 on-view felony cases, mainly from narcotics arrests made in conjunction with unrelated case work.
A large part of CAU’s success comes from the partnerships developed and maintained throughout the year. These partnerships enable the team to network around the Phoenix metropolitan valley, tap into apprehension and intelligence resources, and facilitate the arrest of suspects, regardless of location. Some of these partnerships in 2017 include:
In conjunction with these partnerships, CAU has continued to participate in several annual warrant sweeps, to include the U.S. Marshal’s “Operation Grinch Stopper”, “Operation Justice”, “Operation GRIT”, and the annual Maricopa County domestic violence warrant sweep.
In order to further prepare its members for operations of high risk, team members are made up SWAT team personnel. Their training, partnerships, and investigative skills allow the Unit to leverage relationships and technology as a force multiplier to accomplish their mission.
The CAU members’ dedication and commitment to their craft, along with their continued exceptional support of all sections of the Department netted them an annual Unit Citation Award.
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The Detention Services Unit (DSU) continued to provide excellent customer service to its internal clients within the Chandler Police Department in 2017. The Gilbert Chandler Unified Holding Facility (GCUHF) continued to provide cost efficiency in daily operations with a year-end savings of over $600,000 in booking fees. The DSU processed 8,362 detainees which was a 4.3% increase from the 2016, 3,818 of which were for the Chandler Police Department. This resulted in an astonishing rate of 522 detainees to each GCUHF detention officer.
Accomplishments for the Unit are as follows:
DSU continued to identify improvements and solutions to processes within the judicial procedure and criminal proceedings areas. The Unit plays an important role in the Maricopa County booking procedures that conclude the arrest process. This is vital in maintaining solid inter-agency relationships between the police and jails.
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In 2017, to help maximize the number of sworn police officers on patrol, the Firearms Training Unit (FTU) modified the two range instructor positions to civilian staff. The Unit was extremely selective when hiring the range instructors. As a result, Troy Messina and Gerald Rollings continue to provide high quality training and both have received rave reviews from the entire staff.
The FTU was very productive in 2017. Tasks included qualifications, firearms proficiency training, active shooter courses, weapons armoring, rifle schools, less lethal courses, weapons and ammunition ordering, and inventory tracking. The Unit held primary, back-up, and off duty weapon qualifications this past year. All sworn must attend these qualifications to meet state certification and accreditation compliance. The qualification process for over 300 sworn personnel can be daunting at times, especially since the majority of officers have multiple weapons to qualify with. Other accomplishments of this Unit include the following:
Multiple law enforcement agencies have utilized the firearms training facility this past year. They included Mesa, Apache Junction and Gilbert Police Departments, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Inspector, and Pinal County SWAT. This helps maintain interagency relationships, and allows for use of their facilities as well.
As noted, 2017 was a very productive and busy year for the Unit’s staff of three personnel. In 2018, the Unit anticipates another comprehensive and full training calendar. Unit members always strive to keep its training progressing forward, with an emphasis on getting officers ready for a gun fight. Equally important is training on how to avoid one whenever possible.
During 2017, the sworn officer position assigned to our Housing Unit was transitioned to a Civilian Investigative Specialist. Over the course of the year, over 400 background investigations were conducted on City housing applicants. Additionally, they assisted City Housing personnel with many hours of contacts, assists with court-ordered evictions, and working on cases with the Criminal Investigations Bureau in instances that the crime occurred in City housing properties. Finally, the housing position administers the “Section 8” Housing Program, which has over 480 houses in the City that are required to be checked on throughout the year.
The Park Rangers, over the course of the year, conducted thousands of hours of foot and frequent patrols of City parks. They responded to and handled incidents that occurred at locations such as the Chandler Public Libraries, Tumbleweed Recreation Center, Snedigar Sports Complex, and the City’s skate and bike parks. In numerous instances, they’ve provided assistance to patrol officers with traffic control and calling in suspicious activity. The Park Rangers continue to use vehicle jump packs and lockout kits to assist community members in need. The Park Rangers are an excellent resource for the police department and make a significant impact in handling incidents within City parks and other recreational facilities.
In 2017, this program was transitioned from a Police Explorer Program to the Chandler Police Cadets. As proud members of the Community Resources Unit, these cadets enjoy the opportunity to be an integral part of the Police Department through their service. The Cadet program offers a professional skill and career development opportunity for teens and young adults aged 14 to 20 years old. Participants share in the exciting experiences of community events, patrol ride-alongs, law enforcement based training. They also play an active role during large city events like the Ostrich Festival and the Parade of Lights. During these events, Cadets practice patrol-style operations, respond to reports of lost children, locate missing family members, assist in non-critical calls and report suspicious or criminal activity.
In January the Cadets hosted the 19th Annual Tactical Competition at the Chandler Fire Training Facility in central Chandler. Fifty-four teams from around the southwest competed in 28 events. More than 1,000 were in attendance, which included Explorers, advisors and spectators.
Other community services include the provision of Child-ID kits, assisting with awareness campaigns, and escorting McGruff the Crime Dog. Unit membership ranges from 40 to 50 cadets at any given time. They contribute upwards of 5,000 hours of service every year. The Cadets have been a staple of the Chandler Police Department since 1985 and represent the impressive contributions that this community’s youth are capable of.
The Community Services Section currently has ten certified police officers that serve as School Resource Officers (SROs) for Chandler (CUSD), Kyrene and Mesa Public School Districts. Grant funded through the Arizona Department of Education, these officers are assigned to local high schools and junior high schools for the entire school year. Schools include Chandler, Hamilton, and Basha High Schools; Bogle, Anderson, Willis, and San Tan Junior High Schools; Summit Academy; and Pueblo and Aprende Middle Schools.
The SROs have been involved in many events during the past year – both as members of their school communities and as members of the SRO Unit. Some of these activities are as follows:
The Chandler Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team is comprised of four main components: the Tactical Operations Team, the Technical Support Team, the Crisis Negotiations Team and the Logistical Support Team. The purpose of SWAT is to provide a systematic approach to saving lives in accordance with the priorities of life. The preservation of human life constitutes the first priority in devising any strategy. SWAT supports the Department to resolve critical incidents involving a threat to public safety which would otherwise exceed the capabilities of traditional law enforcement first responders and investigative units. The primary characteristic that distinguishes SWAT from other units is focus of effort. SWAT is focused on incident resolution as opposed to other functions such as investigation.
In 2017, the SWAT team responded to approximately 55 requests for assistance. These requests ranged from technical support and the utilization of robots to the service of high risk search warrants and criminal apprehensions to full team activations regarding armed, barricaded subjects. Other notable accomplishments are as follows:
The Traffic Enforcement Unit is primarily responsible for the enforcement of traffic laws throughout the City of Chandler. Traffic officers conduct enforcement in areas of high traffic volume as well as intersections that statistically reflect more frequent collisions. Using the BMW R1200RT police motorcycle, these officers conduct frequent patrols of schools, shopping areas and the downtown district, providing a safe environment for pedestrians. They also respond to neighborhood complaints and concerns regarding traffic issues and help resolve these concerns through enforcement, education and social media.
In 2017, this Unit conducted two civilian motorcycle schools, providing training to non-police riders within the community. Unit members also taught distracted and impaired driving classes in high schools, colleges and other public forums. These offers also provided instruction on how to identify impairment in the workplace to various partners within the community.
DUI Enforcement Unit
This year the DUI Enforcement Unit refocused its mission and direction towards a proactive enforcement approach. It became their intent to reduce alcohol-related collisions and remove more impaired drivers from Chandler roadways. Between January 1 and December 31, the Chandler Police Department made 986 DUI arrests which was a significant increase from 2016. The DUI Unit made over 621 of these arrests—equating to roughly 63% of the Department’s total. Additionally, the DUI mobile phlebotomy platform was deployed more frequently than the prior year. This mobile platform allows for highly efficient and expedited processing of DUI arrests.
The Unit also boasts the following accomplishments:
Vehicular Crimes Unit
In 2017 the Chandler Police Department continued to develop its full-time Vehicular Crimes Unit (VCU) within the Traffic Section. The Unit consists of four detectives. This Unit is responsible for investigating vehicle collisions involving serious physical injury or death, conducting follow-up investigations on hit-and-run collisions, and assisting the Criminal Investigations Bureau with their investigations. This year, the VCU responded to over 42 call-outs with 42% of cases being charged criminally. These included two Second Degree Homicide investigations.
In 2017, two pick-up trucks were purchased for the VCU detectives. These trucks transport specialized investigative equipment used to measure and record roadway data and evidence. Two sport utility vehicles were also purchased and assigned to the VCU Sergeant and Traffic Section Lieutenant.
The VCU detectives are also responsible for many other ancillary duties including the photo enforcement program, maintaining tow contracts and audits, and coordinating the phlebotomy, Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) testing, and drug recognition expert (DRE) programs. The VCU detectives have also taught numerous traffic related courses in high schools and local colleges.
At the conclusion of 2016, the Training Unit deployed the Training Needs Assessment to all Department employees. The assessment asked what training was beneficial and what was needed for the 2017 Training Year. The results were loud and clear: “More realistic training!” With this new edict, the Training Unit decided to streamline its elective training offerings and focus more on improving the annual mandatory Advanced Officer Training (AOT). The results were overwhelmingly positive and well received from sworn and professional staff.
Starting in February, the Training Unit and Firearms Training Unit (FTU) presented a 10-hour active shooter and driver training day. The active shooter training provided a short lecture on response methods and techniques for quickly and safely dealing with active shooter incidents. This was followed by three force-on-force scenarios of increasing difficultly. They were designed to oblige teams to work together and function as seamless, cohesive units. The driving portion included refresher training related to evasive maneuvers, stop stick deployment, boxing in vehicles, and pursuit operations. In April, the Training Unit presented another 10-hour AOT lecture portion which consisted of topics pertaining to mobile field force tactics, legal updates, homeland security, ethics, and use of force report writing. During the mobile field force portion, members of the Citizens Police Academy Association of Chandler (CPAAC) participated as agitators and threw water bottles and water balloons at officers as the practiced line formation. This made the training much more realistic and provided an opportunity for CPAAC to interact with Department members.
In August, the Training Unit, the FTU, and Sergeant Greg Howarth presented the final portion of AOT with ten hours of crisis intervention training (CIT) and ten hours of range and defensive tactics training. The CIT was presented to expose officers to methods and techniques useful in diffusing tense situations. Each technique is rooted in using active listening skills and building rapport with subjects experiencing crisis. These newly taught skills were then tested through a series of scenarios. The defensive tactics portion covered refresher skills and certifications with baton, Taser (CEW), carotid restraint, handcuffing, “hidden hands” response, and leg restraint training. Afterward, students completed several force-on-force scenarios related to contact and cover, traffic stops, and emergency radio traffic. Students were reminded that “contact and cover” provides them with the best opportunity to survive a potentially violent encounter by allowing them to seamlessly conduct a subject contact without doubling efforts or compromising their safety. Traffic-stop training dissected videos of suspects attempting to harm officers during traffic stops. Finally, officers were able to practice broadcasting emergency traffic via emergency button activation. This training involved dispatchers and allowed them to practice their skills at the same time. In 2017, more than 500 students received Advanced Officer Training, with Training Unit staff and adjunct instructors presenting over 15,000 hours of in-class training. Over 450 students attended elective courses which entailed over 3,000 hours of classroom presentation.
In addition to instructing, the Training Unit continued to prepare new recruits for the Police Academy. Officer Scott Parr led this effort and drilled the new recruits physically and academically. Each recruit performed physical fitness training, completed memos, and attended lectures – aimed at preparing them for the rigors of the academy. During the recruits’ time at the Academy, Officer Parr met with them bi-weekly to go over any issues and receive their progress reports. For urgent issues, the recruits could turn to Officer Octavio Amparan, who is assigned to the academy as a Recruit Training Officer. At the conclusion of the Academy, the new officers complete a 3-week training program called Post-Academy. During this time, they receive training in de-escalation techniques, City programs, the Departments report management system, firearms, defensive tactics. In 2017, twenty-one recruits/officers were prepared for Pre- and Post-Academy by the Training Unit. It should be noted that all recruits who attended the Academy in 2017 completed it. The Mobile Field Force (MFF) Unit, currently assigned to the Training Unit, made huge strides this year in regards to equipment and readiness. In March, several members of the MFF Unit attended and completed grenadier school. The new grenadiers learned how to operate the “SAGE” Gun, which shoots a rubber baton round. They were also trained on how to deploy gas and smoke. The entire team trained hard and is currently seeking to improve its status to a “Tier 1” public order team.
Officer Scott Parr has put hundreds of hours into preparing and training the Department’s Honor Guard. He attended several courses offered by Federal partners to improve the quality and training of the team. Because of this assignment, Officer Parr represented the Department at this year’s Police Memorial Week in Washington, DC. He and another officer also attended the funeral for a fallen US Border Patrol agent in Nogales, AZ. Officer Parr and the Honor Guard team attended the “9-11 Healing Fields Ceremony” in Tempe and then accommodated a last minute request from the Arizona Diamondbacks to present the colors for the 9-11 ceremony before the game. The presentation by the team was solemn and respectful, and reflected a great honor on the Department.
Officer Scott Williams provided annual defensive tactics training to City Court detention staff. This training, which included punching, blocking, and control holds, was well received and provided additional confidence to employees of the City Court. Officer Williams became a certified Naloxone Instructor and subsequently provided Department-wide training to personnel. In addition, Officer Williams attended “simunition” training which entails the use of non-lethal weapons. This intent was to improve the safety of future force-on-force scenario training. Officer Williams also delivered a “use of force” policy review to all sworn officers. This short presentation allowed for more scenario training options. Finally, Officer Williams managed the Department’s TASER supply and was the lead contact person with AXON International. While in this role, he identified an issue with the TASER display, which rendered the weapon useless. As a result, he facilitated the exchange of the Department’s entire supply of TASER weapons with new ones.
Training Coordinator Tanya Keeton continued to be the backbone of the Training Unit. Tanya managed the training catalog and schedule, updated and maintained student transcripts, and coordinated with the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST). This is no small feat. Ms. Keeton also liaised with outside vendors who wished to hold classes at the Department, providing free training opportunities for Department personnel. This year, she worked with a City group looking to purchase a new training records program. Her extensive knowledge in this area was an asset to this group. Ms. Keeton continued to participate in East Valley Training Coordinator meetings, at which local law enforcement agencies share their training opportunities. This allowed for access to more training topics for Chandler employees. Ms. Keeton hosted the third Chandler Leadership Cohort: over a 20-week session, students gained valuable knowledge and leadership skills. Ms. Keeton furthered her training by completing her subject-matter-expert status as a “General Instructor.” In June, AZPOST requested that Ms. Keeton facilitate a General Instructor School accommodating police officers from across the state. She also facilitated another General Instructor School at Chandler Police Department, accommodating both internal and external clients.
Sergeant Arturo Salazar managed the Training Unit and was the lead instructor in most training courses. Sgt. Salazar attended a weeklong force science certification course, which provided valuable insight in evaluating police related “use of force” incidents. The material learned at this training formed the basis of AOT defensive tactics scenarios. Sgt. Salazar also worked with the FTU in providing active shooter training. As an MFF Sergeant, he also prepared and provided most of the training for the team. He also acquired all the necessary equipment for a rapid deployment and mass arrest scenario. Additionally, Sgt. Salazar contributed to the Post-Academy training effort by teaching up to 15 hours each cycle on topics related to use of force review and policy, internal investigations, de-escalation techniques, and scenarios. Sgt. Salazar continued to sit on the Use of Force Board and Citizens Panel for the Review of Force. Sgt. Salazar provided valuable insight related to use of force and made decisions to incorporate related lessons into future AOT cycles. Finally, SGT Salazar began to reintroduce “use of force” case studies to all sworn personnel. These studies highlight real “use of force” incidents by providing a synopsis, case finding, and review of each case. So far, officers have responded favorably to these publications.
The mission of the Volunteers in Policing Services (VIPS) program is to support members of the Chandler Police Department in providing police service and to promote community partnerships. During 2017:
Over the last 24 years, the Department, City, and community have benefited from the dedication and service demonstrated by the members of the Volunteers in Policing Program. During this time, over 726 community members have worked for, with and been a part of the Chandler Police organization. They have served with a sense of duty and focus that is admired and respected. They have taken and accepted personal ownership in their roles and established a level of commitment that surpasses all levels of expectation.
