Support our new Phoenix Chief of Police

When discipline is lacking in a law enforcement department it is easy to see what happens. We need only look to Chicago or New York or various other, mostly eastern, cities where the unions have too much influence. In a police department there can only be one boss, and that must be the chief, not the unions.

In recent years the Phoenix police unions have been flexing their muscle and discipline has been undermined. I have seen this happen before. I was a member and chairman of the Phoenix Civil Service Board in the 1980s. I joined the board during a time of conservative decisions that mostly supported the Phoenix Police Department management but, during my years on the board, I saw the philosophy change and, with increasing frequency, disciplinary actions by Phoenix PD were reversed. I saw morale decline and, more importantly, respect for management decline. We should not let this happen again.

When a decision was made this time around regarding a new police chief for the City of Phoenix, an outsider was chosen, Daniel Garcia. This is a good step in the right direction. But it is not enough. The chief will need the support of the citizens. I believe we should all help Chief Garcia to make it clear that there is only one boss in the Phoenix PD.  Avoiding a corrupt police force depends on it.