NE Valley Times

Rep. Joseph Chaplik (R-Ariz.) has joined forces with his Arizona House Republican colleagues to urge Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego to reject any prospective consent decrees proposed by the Department of Justice (DOJ). This appeal comes in the wake of a two-year DOJ investigation into the Phoenix police department.

In a unified voice, the legislators stated, "To preserve Arizona's sovereignty consistent with our state constitution, you must reject the DOJ's coercive consent decree," as articulated by Representative Chaplik.

The genesis of this issue lies in 2021 when an investigation was launched concerning the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix. The purpose of this extensive examination was to "assess all types of use of force by PhxPD officers, including deadly force. The investigation will also seek to determine whether PhxPD engages in retaliatory activity against people for conduct protected by the First Amendment; whether PhxPD engages in discriminatory policing; and whether PhxPD unlawfully seizes or disposes of the belongings of individuals experiencing homelessness," according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs.

The legislators submitted their letter to Gallego on Monday, expressing apprehension about potential outcomes from this investigation. They voiced concerns that Phoenix might be subjected to a consent decree - a legal order that would transfer control of its police department to the DOJ. As per an article from AZ Central, a consent decree primarily aims to curb or limit use-of-force incidents while fostering accountability within the concerned police department, thereby leading to long-term policy reforms.

The issuance of such a decree would place law enforcement under federal monitors appointed to oversee reform progress within the police department. Conversely, if Phoenix rejects this decree, it could potentially instigate legal battles and make Phoenix the largest city in America to have rejected a consent decree, as reported by AZ Central.

In their letter, lawmakers wrote: "As you know, the DOJ has used consent decrees to remove local control from police departments in metropolitan cities across the United States. Relinquishing local control of these critical agencies to the federal government has been disastrous for both the public safety of the residents in those cities and for taxpayers. Arizonans have already suffered the drastic consequences of the DOJ consent decree over the Maricopa County Sheriffs Department for the past decade, as Maricopa County Sheriff Penzone and Maricopa County Attorney Mitchell have warned. Giving any consideration to a DOJ consent decree could very well lead to a massive exodus of police officers-at a time when the police force in Phoenix is already severely understaffed (approximately 500 officers short, according to recent reports)."

Chaplik, a Republican Party member, represents District 3 in the Arizona House of Representatives. He assumed office in January after securing 51.7 percent of votes. Currently serving as president of Joseph Bernard Investment Real Estate, Chaplik previously held positions such as vice president and general manager at XO Communications, according to Ballotpedia.