Phoenix City Council Meeting Summary (October 15, 2025)

The Phoenix City Council convened on October 15, 2025, to address a wide-ranging agenda including boards and commissions nominations, liquor licenses, ordinance approvals, and significant public policy discussions regarding police reform and community safety. The meeting featured a swearing-in ceremony for new commissioners, extensive public testimony concerning police accountability and officer-involved shootings, and the approval of the early intervention system contract amidst a 7-1 vote. The session concluded with public comments focused on housing, airport worker wages, and calls for systemic change in policing.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimous approval of the Mayor and City Council's nomination of new members to various boards and commissions.
• Swearing-in ceremony conducted for the newly approved commissioners (including the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association representing line-level officers).
• Unanimous approval of liquor license items 2 through 23, with Item 8 handled separately.
• Unanimous approval to approve ordinance items 24 through 114, with specific exceptions noted for items requiring public comment or containing corrections (specifically excluding items 30, 31, 33, 37, 39, 42, 45, 51, 56, 67, 70, 85, 99, and 106 from the initial omnibus motion due to specific procedural needs or continuances).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Daryl Criplin (PLE Charities): Stated that the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association represents line-level officers and detectives. He clarified the special event is closed to former board members celebrating a 50th anniversary, with active officers attending only as board members and off-duty. He confirmed the event serves beer, wine, and spirits with no cap, relying on a professional bartender and board members to monitor consumption and ensure impaired guests are transported, noting the guest average age is 70-75. He detailed charities supported injuries, sickness, community events like "Shop with a Cop," and specific aid like AC units and refrigeration.

• Julia Taggart: Expressed full support for the historic preservation overlay on the Sunny Slope Presbyterian Church. She articulated that the building is historically significant as the site of the first world food bank (Desert Mission), served as a community hub from 1949 to 2016, and that current users (Franklin Phonetic School) are grateful for the preservation to maintain community legacy.

• Cindy Franklin: Expressed gratitude for the ability to secure financing to preserve the building after the church closed. She articulated support for continuing the legacy of community service and noted that the historic status will allow the school to improve the aging building.

• Students (Emma, Selena Montes, Mason): Expressed full support for the historic preservation overlay. They described the overlay as a means of protection for their school as part of local history. Selena Montes articulated that the school is one of the few remaining buildings in Sunny Slope used today, historically a mission church, and that preservation allows for improvements to maintain it for future generations.

• Mr. Harris: Expressed strong opposition to the Early Intervention System contract. He argued that the department lacks existing accountability for officers with multiple shootings (specifically naming an officer involved in Jacob Blake's shooting), stating that new software is merely a tool to identify problems already known without actual consequences. He characterized the police department as prioritizing violence over saving lives and requested funds be redirected to the fire department.

• Councilwoman Hernandez: Expressed concern regarding the efficacy of the Early Intervention System. She articulated that without addressing accountability after incidents occur, the software cannot truly change behavior. She highlighted a crisis of violence with 10 officer-involved shootings since mid-August and questioned if the system addresses the "culture of violence."

• Councilman Hodge Washington: Expressed support for the Early Intervention System, urging the adoption of the tool to identify risk factors. She congratulated the students on their civic engagement and noted the importance of saving history.

• Councilwoman Pastor: Expressed support for the historic preservation and the Early Intervention System. She questioned the metrics behind the reported decrease in complaints (48%) and sought clarification on specific risk factors within the predictive model.

• Councilman Robinson: Expressed support for the Early Intervention System, citing his 35+ years of law enforcement experience. He characterized the system as a necessary tool to identify officer deficiencies and hold the organization accountable before tragic incidents occur, contrasting it with the punitive nature of previous boards.

• Diane Barker: Expressed cautious support for the Sunny Slope project while raising concerns about future traffic and crosswalk violations downtown. Regarding the 35th and Grand Overpass public art project, she questioned the funding source, specifically asking if Prop 400 funds were being used (later clarified as no).

• Diane Barker (DPI): Expressed concern regarding safety and chaos in downtown Phoenix (muscle cars, crosswalk violations) despite supporting the Downtown Phoenix Partnership's goals.

• Unidentified Female Speaker: Expressed strong opposition to the Public Record Request System RFP. She stated she believed the city was withholding damaging information regarding fire response times and City Manager Barton, alleging records were being "slow-walked" to avoid exposing underfunding.

• Letitia Ruiz: Expressed support for the rezoning at Central and Broadway but articulated a position of caution regarding building heights similar to downtown. She requested that the Ed Pasco Center be developed as a cultural center and emphasized the need to serve the neighborhood's housing and community needs.

• Councilman Hernandez: Expressed excitement for the Central and Broadway rezoning, stating it delivers on the South Phoenix vision and community input received during the transit-oriented development process. He agreed with the need for small businesses to be front and center.

• Jerry Moffin: Expressed support for the Central and Broadway project. He urged the council to engage with historic Black colleges and universities regarding recruitment, stating it would be a cost-free resource for the city.

• Janae Vandekirk: Expressed distress regarding the economic status of airport workers. She stated that despite record passenger numbers, workers are struggling to afford basic necessities like air conditioning and are living in shelters. She urged the council to direct an economic impact study to determine needed wages ($25/hour) for a stable workforce.

• Diane Barker (Multimodal): Expressed support for Phoenix leading into a good multimodal future but warned that without proper planning, the influx of cars could lead to significant traffic congestion.

• Roland Harris: Expresssed strong opposition to the council's current policing strategy and the hiring of Chief Giordano. He characterized the council as the "problem" for not holding their oaths to the community, stating that constituents in other districts do not want more police funding but rather crime prevention through social programs. He highlighted six police shootings in two months and argued that the Early Intervention System fails to provide accountability.

Discussion Items

• Item 8 (Special Event Liquor License - Phoenix Law Enforcement Association): Councilwoman Hernandez questioned the nature of the event, the alcohol served, and safety measures. Applicant Daryl Criplin clarified the event is for former board members, serves beer/wine/spirits, uses a professional bartender, and relies on board members to transport impaired guests. The event is a closed 50th-anniversary celebration.

• Item 30 (Payment Ord Claim): Councilwoman Hernandez raised concerns about a recent officer-involved shooting, stating it was avoidable if officers had taken time to identify the individual. Chief of Police Matt Giordano responded by stating a plan is in place to retrain officers on "time, distance, and cover" by end-of-month and reinstate ICAT (Crisis Intervention Training) by the end of the calendar year. He emphasized communication and less lethal options.

• Item 33 (Early Intervention System Contract):

  • Councilwoman Hernandez questioned the vendor selection, detection indicators, intervention protocols, and data transparency. Commander Will Joe (Police Dept) explained the RFP process favored Benchmark Analytics, which uses 91 variables (including calls for service, arrests, overtime) to predict adverse events with an expected 80% accuracy rate (vs. current <5%). He noted the system is proactive, not punitive, with referrals leading to training or wellness plans. Data will likely be public at a macro level to protect privacy.
  • Councilman Hodge Washington asked about the budget source (police budget) and the track record of other cities using the system. Commander Joe provided data showing a 33% decrease in use of force and 48% reduction in complaints in other jurisdictions using the system. He clarified implementation will take 12-18 months.
  • Councilwoman Pastor asked for specifics on risk factors and the data behind complaint reductions, which the vendor provided during the RFP.
  • Councilman Robinson contextualized the need for the tool given the frequency of officer-involved shootings, citing his own experience recommending firings. He emphasized the value of having data to intervene before tragedy.
  • Councilwoman Hernandez reiterated her stance that while prevention is good, the lack of accountability post-incident remains a crisis, citing 10 shootings since the new Chief took over.

• Item 99 (Sunny Slope Presbyterian Church Preservation Overlay): Introduced by Councilwoman Stark, item included public testimony from residents, educators, and students. The group argued for the overlay to protect the building's history as the Desert Mission site and the current school. The Council expressed strong support, praising the students' civic participation.

• Item 106 (Rezoning Central & Broadway): Introduced by Councilwoman Hernandez with support from Councilwoman Pastor. Public comments from Letitia Ruiz and community members expressed general agreement but called for careful consideration of building heights and the inclusion of the Ed Pasco Center to avoid a "downtown scenario." The Council confirmed the project aligns with the South Central Plan and community input.

• Item 110 (General Item/Continued): Mentioned in the context of the omnibus and specific continuances.

Key Outcomes

• Item 8 (Liquor License): Approved 8-0. Approved for Phoenix Law Enforcement Association Charities.
• Item 30 (Claim Settlement): Approved 8-0. Subject to Chief's retraining plan for time, distance, and cover.
• Item 31 (Rancho Grande Annexation): Public hearing closed; vote deferred to a later date.
• Item 33 (Early Intervention System): Approved 7-1 (Councilwoman Hernandez opposed). Contract with Benchmark Analytics approved.
• Item 37 (Oracle Contract): Approved 8-0. $23M service contract.
• Item 39 (Security Guards): Approved 8-0. Contract includes overnight park security.
• Item 42 (Water Easement): Approved 7-0 (Councilwoman Pastor abstained).
• Item 45 (Community Engagement): Approved 8-0. Contract for diverse outreach strategies.
• Item 51 (Water Protection Grant): Approved 8-0. Funds data collection for river habitat restoration.
• Item 56 (Public Art Project): Approved 8-0. Contract for 35th Avenue and Grand Avenue Overpass art.
• Item 61 (DPI Budget): Approved 8-0. Downtown Enhanced Municipal Services District budget.
• Item 67 (Public Record Request): Approved 8-0. RFP for system to facilitate requests.
• Item 70 (Emergency Operations): Approved 8-0. Amendment to Chapter 11 to clarify emergency declarations.
• Item 85 (Small Business Enterprise): Approved 8-0. Extension of the Small Business Enterprise program.
• Item 99 (Historic Preservation): Approved 8-0. Overlay approved for Sunny Slope Presbyterian Church.
• Item 106 (Rezoning): Approved 8-0. Zoning change for Central and Broadway.
• Items 109 & 110: Approved 8-0 (after being brought out of order).
• Housing: The Housing Director noted the approval of a tri-party deal to purchase land from Isaac School District, adding 160 units (excluding other pending projects like Central and Columbus).

*Note: Discrepancy identified regarding the voting on Item 33. The transcript indicates a "7-1" vote (Hernandez opposed), whereas the initial roll call summary lists