Phoenix?s new police chief

August 15, 2012

Police Chief Daniel Garcia talks about his plans and the challenges he faces taking over the Phoenix Police Department.

Garcia says there were budget issues at his previous precinct in Dallas, but nowhere near the shortage Phoenix faces. He says he won’t be able to hire more officers until 2014 or 2015, and in the meantime he has to be creative about staffing. Garcia stresses that he wants the community and officers to communicate. He says the more the community tells him about what they need, the better officers can serve them. Garcia says that the size of Phoenix makes is certainly a challenge, but he believes strong communication and problem resolution can help overcome the spectrum of needs. He says that morale is high and officers understand the principles he expects them to operate under, especially when it comes to treating people with dignity and respect.