Yavapai News

Rep. Selena Bliss (R-Ariz.) has joined forces with her Arizona House Republican colleagues in a letter addressed to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, urging her to reject any potential consent decrees proposed by the Department of Justice (DOJ). This appeal comes on the heels of a two-year DOJ investigation into the Phoenix Police Department.

In the words of Representative Bliss, "To preserve Arizona's sovereignty consistent with our state constitution, you must reject the DOJ's coercive consent decree."

The DOJ initiated an investigation into the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix in 2021. The comprehensive probe aimed 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", as stated in a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs.

On Monday, this group of legislators sent their letter to Mayor Gallego, expressing apprehension about possible outcomes from this investigation. They voiced concerns that Phoenix might be issued a consent decree—a legal order transferring control of the police department to the DOJ. According to an article from AZ Central, a consent decree primarily aims to halt or limit use of force while fostering accountability within police departments, ultimately leading to long-term policy reform.

If Phoenix were to receive such a decree, federal monitors would oversee law enforcement and track progress on reforms. Conversely, rejecting it could result in legal battles—making Phoenix the largest city in America to have done so—as per another article from AZ Central.

In their letter, lawmakers highlighted previous instances where such decrees had negative impacts: "As you know, the DOJ has used consent decrees to remove local control from police departments in metropolitan cities across the United States," they wrote. "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)."

Bliss, who represents District One, took office on January 9, 2023. Originally from South Dakota, she earned a doctorate in nursing and has experience as a nurse and nurse educator. In the general election, Bliss triumphed over Cathy Ransom and Neil Sinclair with 33% of votes. Her Republican colleague, Quang Nguyen, also garnered 33%, as reported by Ballotpedia.