5 / 32
Phoenix Police Chief Yahner donating blood.
Phoenix Police Chief Yahner receiving the Distinguished Service Award.
CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION
| 5
Q:
Memorable: In your 30 years of PPD service, what has been your most memorable position
and tour of duty?
A:
When I reflect back over my career, I remember the great people I
have worked with in all of my assignments. I am thankful for all of
the opportunities the Phoenix Police Department afforded me, but if
I had to pick one assignment, I would have to say when I served as the
commander of the Maryvale Precinct. I was amazed at the quantity
and quality of work performed by the men and women of the Maryvale
Precinct. I was able to see the positive effect of working hand-in-hand
with the residents of Maryvale; it was rewarding.
Q:
VIP (Violence Impact Project): What are the goals of the VIP Program? How do we
measure success toward those goals? And what do you envision will be needed to sustain
those goals once reached?
A:
This program is a city-wide effort to include all city departments in a
collaborative effort to reduce crime and blight, increase community
awareness and create a safe community. Continued communication
between city departments, along with community involvement, will
ensure these outstanding results are maintained. We are proud of the
West Phoenix Revitalization VIP and the cooperative model we created.
Q:
Refugees: How is the police department handling refugees, the language barrier and the
Refugee Safety Initiative? Many community folks have asked for more outreach on this.
A:
Phoenix is known as a terrific place to live, work and raise a family,
which makes it a natural location to settle refugees. The Phoenix
Police Department recognized the need for additional outreach to the
refugee community and Detective Luis Samudio from our Community
Relations Bureau immersed himself in this endeavor. Detective
Samudio can often be found conducting resettlement training to new
arrivals and is the first point of contact when issues arise in our vibrant
refugee communities. Recently, the Community Relations Bureau
created a Refugee Advisory Board to further expand our outreach and
connectivity to our refugee community.
Q:
Crime: How are the police, the Prosecutor’s office and Neighborhood Services partnering
to create long-term sustainable solutions to ongoing crime problems with prostitution,
transients and/or children having access to open/vacant buildings in the VIP (Violence
Impact Project) and the NSI (Neighborhood Safety Initiative)?
A:
Long ago, the police department realized we needed to work
collaboratively with other city departments to increase our overall
effectiveness. These partnerships allow us to approach problems from
multiple angles. Addressing persons who commit misdemeanor crimes
with repeated arrests for the same offense in the same location is
time consuming, expensive and often unsuccessful. Working with the
city Prosecutor’s office, Neighborhood Services and Human Services
allows us to identify the underlying issues such as housing, mental
health treatment, substance abuse and job skills training. We have seen
tremendous success in these collaborative relationships.
Q:
Public/Private Partnerships: What value do you place on public/private partnerships
working together to support community neighborhood safety and revitalization efforts?
A:
I fully support private – public partnerships and believe they are a vital
part of the overall safety and revitalization of our city. Each partner
provides a unique set of skills and resources in order to accomplish a
shared mission.
Q:
Revitalization: How do you see your office involved with the community revitalization efforts
and with providing tangible support for organizations and businesses?
A:
The Phoenix Police Department wants to be, and must be involved in
community revitalization. The department is willing to work with the
community to establish block watches, increase Phoenix Neighborhood
Patrol members and provide access to a wide array of city services.
Q:
Community Tour: In your recent tour of GCU and the Canyon Corridor community, what
stands out the most?
A:
I enjoyed the recent tour of GCU and was amazed at the transformation
and growth of the campus footprint, but most of all, I was impressed
with the excitement that was evident. This level of excitement is
contagious. Thank you for being a leader in the community.
Q:
Impact: What else do you think Grand Canyon University could do to make a positive impact
in the neighborhoods?
A:
In short, nothing!
Q:
Final Thoughts: What final thoughts would you like to share with our
community neighborhoods?
A:
I am proud of the Phoenix Police Department. The City of Phoenix is a
great place to live and an outstanding place to work. That being said, we
are looking for members of the community who would like to serve the
community in the role of police officer. If you are or someone you know
is interested in becoming a police officer, please consider the Phoenix
Police Department.
Learn more at phoenix.gov/police/joinphxpd