Phoenix Police Department

Pricey Colt AR-15 Assault Rifle Among Guns Turned in at Phoenix Police Buyback Event

After New Times writer Matthew Hendley reported that Phoenix police took in an assault rifle at last weekend's "buyback" event, we were curious what kind of gun it was. Turns out that, in exchange for a $200 gift certificate, an anonymous donor gave up a Colt AR-15 believed to be good condition, a ... More >>

Rickesha Burns Accused of Shoving Vibrator Into 2-Year-Old Son's Anus

A Phoenix woman is accused of shoving a vibrator into her 2-year-old son's anus, and doctors told police that surgery will be required to remove it.According to court documents obtained by New Times, 21-year-old Rickesha Burns called police Sunday, reporting that her son was bleeding from his anus.

Michael Turley Pleads Not Guilty in Terrorist Hoax Video Case

Michael Turley -- also known as the magician "Gianni" -- pleaded not guilty today to charges related to his alleged role as the director of a movie that was produced to "test" the Phoenix Police Department's response to a terrorist situation.Turley was arrested last month after it was discovered tha ... More >>

Tom Horne's Alleged Hit-and-Run at an Address Listed for Carmen Chenal

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery's big press conference this morning alleged illegal coordination between Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne and an independent expenditure committee during his 2010 campaign. See also: -Attorney General Horne Hired Carmen Chenal to a Highly Paid Top Post -- ... More >>

Michael Cerise Going to Jail for Pointing a Laser at Three in-Flight Aircrafts Out of Curiosity

Curiosity will cost 47-year-old Michael Cerise 90 days of freedom after Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Karen Potts sentenced him to jail yesterday. Cerise must also serve an additional three years of probation following his 90-day bid for the November 2011 laser-pointing that injured three pi ... More >>

Phoenix Police Seize a Boat, Guns, and Millions in Cash During Bust of Women Allegedly Selling Fake Coupons

Three middle-aged women were arrested in a coupon scam so big and elaborate that it involved millions of dollars in cash, guns, and a speedboat. Yes, a coupon scam.   Phoenix Police arrested Marilyn Johnson, 61, Robin Ramirez, 40, and Amiko Fountain, 42, for their alleged involvement in the co ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Victim Marty Atencio: Family Files Notices of Claim Totaling $20 Million in Wrongful Death Case

An obscene cross between a Three Stooges short and a snuff film. That's the gruesome scenario depicted by two notices of claim served on the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County totaling $20 million for the wrongful death of Army vet Marty Atencio.The claims, submitted by Phoenix attorney Mike Mannin ... More >>

Self-Proclaimed Whistleblower Phil Roberts Wasn't Retaliated Against by the Phoenix Police Department, Feds Say

​ Phoenix police officials should have more closely examined allegations made by police Sergeant Phil Roberts about falsified border-related kidnapping statistics before deciding to investigate him for making those claims, according to a federal investigative report obtained by New Times. That mes ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, January 12th, 2011

Arizona Grand Resort Employee Reports Near-Rape in Restroom; Michael Robert Martinez, 30, Arrested

​A Tempe man was arrested at the Arizona Grand Resort in south Phoenix on Monday afternoon in connection with an attempted rape of an employee in a restroom. Before the attack, the victim told police she saw Michael Robert Martinez, 30, hanging out near the door to the restroom, which wa ... More >>

Sergeant Sean Drenth Death a Suicide?

The County Medical Examiner determined that Phoenix Sergeant Sean Drenth committed suicide. Phoenix police aren't as convinced.​The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office today will issue its official ruling in the October 2010 shooting death of Phoenix Sergeant Sean Drenth.As we reported last ... More >>

Russell Pearce Anti-Recall Group Scores $5K in Union Dough

Who says this guy doesn't love unions?I'm on my way to a function I must attend tonight, but I just saw that Matt Tolman's anti-recall committee Citizens Who Oppose the Pearce Recall has filed its financials with the Arizona Secretary of State's Office.Total receipts: $72,610, with one of the larges ... More >>

Mark Spencer Coasting at PLEA Till He Retires in February

Spencer, on easy street at PLEA till retirement...If you're wondering why you haven't seen media hog Mark Spencer flapping his lips on TV in a while, it's because Spencer is no longer president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, the union that represents rank and file Phoenix cops.His ... More >>

Mysterious Light Seen Over Valley; KPHO's Report, and the Phoenix P.D.'s (Perfect) Response

www.ledzeppelin.com​You may have witnessed a mysterious light flash over Phoenix earlier tonight. Apparently, a lot of people did. We didn't -- but a "slew" of KPHO viewers, and Phoenix Sergeant Steve Martos, the Phoenix P.D.'s Air Unit, and several other Phoenix police officers certainly did.Of t ... More >>

Missing Old Person Alert: 73-Year-Old Chamel Cabrera

Phoenix P.D.If you've seen 73-year-old Chamel Cabrera call the Phoenix Police Department.​The Phoenix Police Department needs the public's help in tracking down a missing old guy. Chamel Cabrera, 73, could be in a bit of trouble -- he's visiting from Mexico and is unfamiliar with the area. He also ... More >>

The Name of a Shooting Victim Is Uncovered, and a Divide Is Exposed in Phoenix's St. Matthew Neighborhood

John Richardson's Homicide Case Remains Cold -- Five Years Later

Maricopa Police Department John "JR" Richardson​On its fifth anniversary, John Richardson's homicide case remains cold, and a hole in his mom's life remains unfilled. Known as "J.R.," Richardson was last seen with friends at a house near 43rd Avenue and Thomas Road in Phoenix the night of ... More >>

Morning Poll: Sergeant Sean Drenth Death: Murder or Suicide?

​Last week, the Phoenix Police Department updated the media on the investigation into the shooting death of Sergeant Sean Drenth. As we noted last week, the update offered a lot of questions, but no answers as to who killed the sergeant -- and it's still unclear whether he was murdered or committe ... More >>

Officer Sean Drenth Death: Phoenix Police Department to Release "Massive Amount of Information" in Coming Days

Officer Sean Drenth​The Phoenix Police Department is holding a press conference this afternoon to give some context to the "massive amount of information" they plan to release in the next few days regarding the death of Officer Sean Drenth.According to the department, "There are no new case ... More >>

Richard Chrisman BBQ at PLEA Offices Protested

Protesters berate cops coming out of the Chrisman BBQCops and other attendees had to run the gauntlet today at a BBQ/fundraiser for fired, killer-cop Richard Chrisman, held in an underground enclosure at the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, the powerful police union that reps rank and file Phoen ... More >>

Another Human Skeleton Found in Phoenix. That Makes Two in Less Than 24 Hours -- Which is Way Too Many Skeletons for One Day

​It's not everyday we get two separate emails from the Phoenix Police Department with the subject "skeletal remains found." Today, evidently, is not like every other day.For the second time in less than 24 hours, a skeleton has been found in the city of Phoenix.According to Phoenix police, the lat ... More >>

An Outside Panel Will Probe Whether the PPD's Numbers on Kidnappings Were Cooked

Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris Probably Will Be Reassigned to Fire Admin Building; City Manager Will Discuss Future of PD Later Today

Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos to discuss future of police department.​A press conference regarding the flawed kidnapping statistics published by the Phoenix Police Department has been bumped from Friday to 2:30 p.m. today at City Hall.(Read the in-depth analysis published on February 7 ... More >>

Bizarre Phoenix Murder Has Cops Baffled

​A strange shooting in west Phoenix over the weekend has left a 22-year-old woman dead and police scratching their heads.About 2 a.m. yesterday, two women were driving home from a party in west Phoenix. The women got into an argument, Phoenix police say, and stopped the car at a tire store near 50 ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's Son Placed on Paid Administrative Leave From Phoenix Police Department

Mayor Phil Gordon's son has been placed on paid administrative leave from the Phoenix Police Department.​Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's son, a Phoenix police officer, has been placed on paid administrative leave from the department.Jeff Gordon, a department spokesman told the Arizona Republic yesterd ... More >>

U.S. Marshals Arrest California Man in Connection to 2001 Phoenix Stabbing Death. Too Much Meth in Victim's System Derailed Original Investigation

​The U.S. Marshals have arrested a man wanted in connection to a 2001 stabbing murder of a 40-year-old Phoenix resident. The Phoenix Police Department announced today the arrest of Marc Salinas, 38, for allegedly stabbing Rishard LaPointe to death in his Phoenix apartment near the intersection of ... More >>

Christopher Licon Charged With Murder and Kidnapping in Deaths of Brother and Nephew

Phoenix Police DepartmentChristopher Licon is accused of murdering his own brother and 6-year-old nephew.​It seemed only a matter of time, but the uncle of a 6-year-old boy found shot to death in a Phoenix alley last month has been charged with murder and kidnapping for the death of the boy and hi ... More >>

Phoenix P.D. Solves 11-Year-Old Cold Case. Suspect Left Victim for Dead in Desert, Police Say

MCSOClayton Roinuse​The Phoenix Police Department announced last night that an arrest has been made in a sexual assault/ kidnapping that happened in 1999.The Phoenix P.D. says DNA evidence retrieved at the scene of the alleged crimes match the DNA of Clayton Roinuse, who was arrested yesterday.Acc ... More >>

Rick Romley Says Police Union's Under Investigation in the Chrisman Murder Case

Phoenix Man, Found Stabbed in Front of His Apartment, Dies; Suspect Still on the Loose

​The Phoenix Police Department is asking the public's help in tracking down the person who stabbed a man to death yesterday morning.Sergeant Steve Martos of the Phoenix PD tells New Times that, just before noon, cops responded to a call saying someone was hurt at 8822 North 1st Street in Phoen ... More >>

Phoenix Bank Robbers Likely Brought Dog to Heist; Then Called Getaway Cab

Phoenix Police Department​Two Phoenix men are believed to be responsible for one of the most poorly thought out bank robbery attempts we can remember -- including fake machine-guns, a dog, and the suspects using a cab as a getaway vehicle.This brazen act of stupidity has made the media round ... More >>

Cheap Thrills Relaunches At Its New Home in September

Benjamin Leatherman The scene at Cheap Thrills over the weekend.​The Phoenix Police Department can sometimes be a major buzzkill. Just ask the folks who attended the Cheap Thrills one-off this past weekend. Around 100 or so were in attendance at the hepcat party on Saturday night, dancing ... More >>

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Reign of Terror Becomes State Policy, Thanks to State Senator Russell Pearce and Governor Jan Brewer

Building Fire Leads Police to Murdered Phoenix Man

www.indiainfo.com​A building fire in a west Phoenix industrial building this morning led fire officials to discover a dead body and police say was the victim was murdered.At about 4:45 a.m., the Phoenix Fire Department responded to a fire alarm that went off in the 1200 block of south 35th Avenue. ... More >>

Phoenix Police Aircraft Targets of Two Laser-Pointer Incidents in Two Days; 14-Year-Old Suspect Arrested

www.geekgaz.com​The Phoenix Police Department wants to make itself very clear: If you shine a laser pointer at a police aircraft and get caught, you should prepare to be fucked by the long dick of the law.They didn't use those words exactly, but Phoenix police Sergeant James Holmes wants Pho ... More >>

Councilman Michael Johnson's Phoenix Police Altercation Taken Seriously Because of "Who He Is," PPD Says

www.phoenix.gov Phoenix City Councilman Michael Johnson​An unnamed Phoenix police officer may have messed with the wrong bull. The Phoenix City Council will hold an executive session on Monday to try to get to the bottom of an incident this morning, where one of its members was handcuffed a ... More >>

Dave Barnes, Onetime Hotshot Murder Cop, Fired by Phoenix PD Today

David Barnes, a onetime homicide detective with the Phoenix Police Department who is now under criminal indictment on perjury charges, was fired this afternoon.   ​Sergeant Trent Crump, a spokesperson for the city agency, said Barnes (in the photo) learned of his termination from a ... More >>

Valley Woman Dies After Being Hit by Three Cars; Nice of One of Them to Actually Stop

​A 62-year-old woman died yesterday after being hit by three different cars near Cave Creek Road and Thunderbird. You would probably think that after hitting an older woman, the person who did it would at least stop -- or maybe the second person who hit her might call police --  you would be ... More >>

UPDATE: Police Identify Five More Arizona Victims of "Doctor" Jeffrey Graybill

"Doctor" Jeffrey Graybill, accused molester of men.​New Times reported yesterday about the arrest of Jeffrey Graybill, an Arizona man who's accused of posing as a fertility doctor in LA and posting Craigslist ads soliciting "semen donors" to attract victims he would sexually molest. The Pho ... More >>

Counterfeit Cash Bust in Phoenix; Task Force Gets Tip, Seizes $55,300 in Fake Bills

To Live and Die in L.A. Phoenix. ​ Thankfully, this big-money bust didn't involve a nail-biting, wrong-way drive on the freeway that made for such a great action scene in the above-linked movie. Nope, just some good detective work by local cops who followed up on a tip a couple of weeks ago ... More >>

Phoenix Police See Spike in Heroin Use

www.motivatedphoto.com​Just when we though crystal meth reigned supreme as the drug of choice among hard dopers, here's this blast from the past. Remember heroin? Well drug addicts sure do, and according to Phoenix police, "smack" is coming back in a big way."Between January 2006 and January ... More >>

Behind BadPhoenixCops.com: The Blogger Who Took on the Phoenix PD — and the Homicide Detective Who Might Be His Best Source

Jack Harris, Phoenix Police Chief, Stepping Down from AZ POST Board

Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris is stepping down from his position as a board member of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board after a five-year run. No reason was given for the departure in an announcement by police this afternoon (see below). The announcement itself, police say, ... More >>

Craigslist Car Buyer Commits Hit-And-Run on Child at Seller's Home, Say Cops

  A man named "Eddie" who responded to a Craigslist ad for a car on Monday drove his own vehicle into a toddler at the seller's Phoenix home, then fled the scene, police say. The would-be buyer, who allegedly carried the injured 16-month-old boy to his parents ... More >>

One of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Detention Officers Popped for (Alleged) Sexual Conduct w/Daughter

When it rains it pours, people. Needless to say, it's late, but I just caught this errant ball from the MCSO's list of recent press releases. I think it pretty much speaks for itself. Perhaps Sheriff Joe should spend less time roving the West Valley with a military-style force looking for lawbr ... More >>

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office captain: "My staff and I were humiliated!"

Letters From the Issue of Thursday, February 16, 2006

Cruising for Cops

Copwatch, an earnest band of volunteers, aims to stamp out police brutality -- and vanquish institutional racism -- by aiming a camera.

A Cop on the Beat

Assaults on his girlfriend and a litany of other conduct violations got Fred Santos fired from the Phoenix police force. Why he's back in uniform, responding to domestic violence calls, is a mystery.

The War on Hip-Hop

Nightclubs draw minorities, they get dissed by the authorities. Rap ain't allowed in this white-bread town. Don't hire our Kops? We bust yo' chops. Word.