STANDARDS
CLEA & CLASA Are Recommending 83 New Sworn Officer Positions Over A Five Year Period
Our Approach
In 2003 the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommended 2.5 officers per 1,000 residents. In 2012, the IACP adjusted that position, advising against simple population rates for police staffing.
We agree.
This is why CLEA & CLASA incorporated a hybrid approach that blended the per capita method with the specific needs of Chandler based on crime statistics and our understanding of the community. As representatives of the law enforcement professionals who interact with residents every day, we believe our experience is a valuable part of the discussion.
We agree.
This is why CLEA & CLASA incorporated a hybrid approach that blended the per capita method with the specific needs of Chandler based on crime statistics and our understanding of the community. As representatives of the law enforcement professionals who interact with residents every day, we believe our experience is a valuable part of the discussion.
Crime Has Changed
Part 1 crimes no longer account for the prevalent crimes of today. Today we’re seeing an increase in:
Internet Crimes & Identity Theft
Mental Health & Homelessness
Sex Trafficking & Drug Addiction
Internet Crimes Against Children
83
CLEA Total Recommended Additional Sworn Officers
415
Recommendation
At Chandler's current population of 280 thousand, a simple per capita calculation would demand 665 officers. CLEA is recommending 415 total sworn positions.
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Critical Need
This plan places staff where the most critical needs are. We want better clearance rates on cases and better customer service to citizens.
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13 Years
Police staffing levels have failed to keep up with the rapid population & business growth in Chandler. Between 2008 and 2021 no new positions were created.
To provide your input contact the Chandler City Council at mayorandcouncil@chandleraz.gov
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New Hire Training
Initial background investigations are intensive and time consuming. The department is currently hiring former officers in a contract capacity to meet this need. CLEA recommends adding background investigators to our hiring unit to reach optimal staffing levels. New recruits spend a minimum of 44 weeks in training before they can solo patrol, which all follows three months of physical testing and background and polygraph checks. Four additional training officers will be needed to ensure that new hires are deployed to the road as soon as possible.
2
In-Service Training
Ongoing training is important and necessary for Police officers to maintain their peace officer certification. This includes training on legal updates, use of force, mental health, active shooter scenarios, emergency driving, and many other topics related to law enforcement. The department has increasingly relied on satellite trainers to help in this training, which takes them away from their primary jobs for thousands of hours each year.
2
Background Detectives
Initial background investigations are intensive and time consuming. The department is currently hiring former officers in a contract capacity to meet this need. CLEA recommends adding background investigators to our hiring unit to reach optimal staffing levels.
3
Community Services
Community Services officers conduct business assessments, oversee recruitment, and manage block-watch and other community outreach programs as part of their normal duties. An additional officer in each precinct ensures Chandler residents understand that the best way to prevent crime is through community involvement.
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School Resources
Chandler SROs are grant-funded and would not continue in this role without these grants. This is insufficient to say the least, and the politics surrounding how many and who will pay for these officers must stop. Expanding this unit ensures that our children feel safe, their parents have no concerns, and the schools are as protected as possible.
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Bicycles
The bicycle unit has taken the brunt of staffing issues over the past several years. As Downtown Chandler continues to expand and draw visitors, the bicycle units are increasingly important in keeping the area safe and addressing the concerns of the businesses and their patrons. Additionally, they can patrol other downtown neighborhoods where we have seen a drastic increase in violent crimes.
4
Traffic Enforcement
The traffic enforcement unit has dwindled over the years as their positions were reassigned or left unfilled to staff higher priority needs. The unit dealing with specific traffic complaints such as speeding in school zones or neighborhoods was disbanded due to staffing. Additional officers would fill this need rather than relying on patrol officers to manage the issues in what little extra time they might have.
4
DUI Enforcement
DUI Enforcement Officers respond to patrol requests and complete impaired driver investigations. Additional DUI Officers would allow experts in impairment document and complete this time-consuming process while patrol officers return to responding to emergency calls for service.
4
Criminal Apprehension
Chandler and Maricopa County currently have thousands of outstanding criminal warrants that go unserved and unaddressed, many of which are for violent felonies. The four detectives assigned to this task are also responsible for locating and apprehending suspects in current crimes, including the most violent. An expanded unit could deal with the large uptick in cases and ensure these violent offenders are removed from the streets.
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Gun Violence Squad
Many cities, including Chandler, have seen a large increase in weapons related crimes recently. Because no detectives or units are assigned to this task, Chandler was recently forced to reassign officers from the patrol division to create a gun crimes task force to address this huge problem. We need this team on a permanent basis to ensure that this type of violent and destructive crime does not continue to plague our city.
4
Mental Health
Officers respond to thousands of calls dealing with mental health issues every year, and that number is increasing. Our officers are often forced to make difficult decisions while being under-trained, under-resourced and under-supported in this area. We look to the success of other agencies who have created teams of highly trained officers working alongside mental health professionals and social workers.
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Domestic Violence
Our officers are called to intervene in domestic issues on an hourly basis. Our officers try to find the best solutions for individual situations, but they are often left with only short-term solutions. Other agencies have created teams of detectives working with additional social and court resources to address these complex issues, and CLEA believes Chandler should staff adopt a similar model.
4
Sex Crimes Against Children
Chandler continues to see a rise in sex related crimes, especially against children and young adults. The growing prevalence of social media has overloaded our officers with these crimes. Our sex crimes unit needs additional detectives to deal with this issue, which is partly due our population growth over the past 10 years. Smaller caseloads would ensure victims get better follow-up from our detectives.
2
Family Crimes
CPD’s Family Crimes Unit continues to see increased caseloads in large part due to the strain from the COVID pandemic and related economic difficulties. These detectives currently respond and follow up on an array of crimes which are often complex and require intensive investigation.
4
Internet Crimes Against Children
Chandler currently has only one full time detective assigned specifically to deal with Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). That is insufficient to say the least. This is an ever-increasing threat to our children. In today’s digital age, the internet has been used by predators to locate, stalk, contact and victimize our most vulnerable.
5
Intel
The past several years have shown that increasing our intelligence gathering capabilities helps our department and city prepare for unexpected issues. Our Intelligence Unit currently has two detectives assigned to local issues, in addition to two assigned to work directly with our federal and state partners. To address today’s growing threats and attempt to prepare or stop these problems ahead of time, we need to expand this unit.
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Financial
Fraud and financial crimes are some of the largest and most complex crimes our detectives deal with. The financial crimes unit hasn’t added personnel to deal with this growing problem in years. Financial crimes affect and target everyone, but especially our vulnerable and elderly family members. Due to current staffing issues, only three of five assigned spots are filled, which is beyond insufficient in a city of our size, and the increasing pervasiveness of this problem.
4
Property
Property related crimes are the largest segment of crimes in Chandler. In the past our detectives were able to be far more proactive in locating, searching and targeting repeat offenders. A lack of resources has largely made this unit reactive as opposed to proactive. The best way for us to solve crime is to prevent it from happening in the first place and additional detectives would aid in keeping our residents from becoming victims.
5
Gang & Street/Neighborhood Crimes
Gangs and gang members historically are highly likely to be involved in many of the crimes we’ve noted including violent crimes, gun crimes, narcotics trafficking, and property crimes. Every time officers from this proactive street level unit have been reassigned to other areas, we have seen an increase in crime. Staffing and maintaining a gang/street crimes unit is one of the best ways to impact crime and ensure our city stays safe on a long-term basis.
4
Narcotics
While the city and county have seen a huge increase in deaths due to the Opioid epidemic, the narcotics unit has been the victim of staffing issues. Additionally, and most concerning, is the targeting of schools by drug traffickers who realize that many Chandler youth have access to money to pay them. We need to add officers to this unit so it can proactively target these crimes and help stop this epidemic.
2
Human Trafficking
As one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, Chandler’s proximity to the border and the greater Phoenix area make it a prime location for human trafficking. Additionally, as in many crimes, the Internet makes these crimes more difficult to detect and investigate. Chandler currently has three detectives assigned to this unit, which needs to be increased to deal with this expanding problem.
2
Tech
Technical equipment deployment and maintenance is one of the greatest challenges to our department. From surveillance cameras at special events to electronics equipment used during enforcement operations, Chandler needs to have detectives proficient in building, deploying and utilizing this equipment. In order to function properly and support other units and police operations, this unit needs to add at least two additional detectives.
4
Homicide/Robbery
Chandler has seen an enormous rise in calls for service in the Robbery and Homicide unit, which also investigates cold crimes and manages our gun identification program. These detectives have worked an unprecedented amount of overtime in the past few years, just to keep up with the current workload while trying to follow up on existing cases. Victims of these serious crimes deserve more detectives assigned to this unit.
In June 2021, the Chandler City Council approved year one of a plan presented by the Chief, with only 67 new positions over the next 5 years. Council will review the recommended number of additional officers during each budget cycle, and CLEA encourages its members and Chandler residents to participate in the budget process and express their continued support for correcting the staffing shortage in the Police Department.
City Council will be reviewing the FY 2022-23 positions during its budget process this in Spring 2022.
City Council will be reviewing the FY 2022-23 positions during its budget process this in Spring 2022.
Chief Duggan/City Council Plan
FY 2021-22 / 27 positions
- 15 over hire officer positions for patrol
- 7 officers for neighborhood response team, 1 training officer, 1 sex crimes detective, 1 communications training supervisor, 1 SRO, 1 police mental health and wellness coordinator
FY 2022-23 / 10 positions
- 5 officers for mental heath unit, 2 detention officers, 1 laboratory quality assurance supervisor, 1 computer crimes detective, 1 gang detective
FY 2023-24 / 10 positions
- 3 bicycle officers, 1 detention officer, 1 PDIT business systems analyst, 1 computer crimes detective, 1 sex crimes detective, 1 PDIT desk top support, 1 records clerk, 1 assistant chief
FY 2024-25 / 10 positions
- 4 bicycle officers, 1 gang unit detective, 1detention officer, 1 crime analyst, 1 PDIT supervisor, 1 homicide/robbery detective, 1 training unit lieutenant
FY 2025-26 / 10 positions
- 3 traffic officers, 1 detention officer, 1 crime analyst, 2 investigative specialists, 1 property and evidence technician, 1 SRO sergeant, 1 records clerk
Total of 67 positions over the next 5 years