Title
Protest Update
Description
This report provides the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee with information regarding protest activity occurring in the downtown corridor that began in late May and continued intermittently through November.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
Following the death of George Floyd in May, protesters gathered in cities across the country to voice their disapproval and opposition to police brutality. Demonstrations in downtown Phoenix began on May 28th and continued nearly every day through June 14th attracting thousands to the downtown corridor. From that point forward, protest activity in the downtown area continued intermittently through November 17. The Police Department’s primary goal throughout these events was to allow individuals the opportunity to exercise their First Amendment Right in a safe and peaceful manner.
The protest activity occurring between May 28th and May 31st, attracted the largest number of people to the downtown corridor. The majority of demonstrators were peaceful, however, some of the protest activity caused significant property damage consisting of broken windows, graffiti and attempts to burn properties by intentionally setting fires. The level of lawlessness observed during this period led the Governor to issue a statewide Declaration of Emergency on May 31st that established a curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to assist in the prevention of criminal acts during the civil unrest.
During this four-day period, the Police Department arrested 354 subjects for various offenses to include rioting, unlawful assembly, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, obstructing a public thoroughfare, criminal damage and curfew violations. During the subsequent protest activity that occurred between June 15th and November 17th, approximately 60 arrests were made for similar offenses (excluding curfew). Items found in possession of those arrested have included handguns, rifles, changes of clothing to confuse officers, cell phones and radio communication devices to enable communication with one another during these events.
In some situations, officers were unable to arrest individuals at the scene of the crime for various safety reasons. If a suspect flees or it is unsafe for officers to make an arrest, the law allows for individuals to be arrested at another time and/or location. This has been the case for some of the protesters arrested in connection with criminal activity committed during the protest activity downtown. It is important to note, that once a person is arrested, the case is submitted to a prosecuting agency. It is the prosecuting agency that determines whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the case and what charges are appropriate based on the evidence.
Between May 28th and November 17th, the Phoenix Police Department monitored and worked 285 protests, at times handling multiple protest events in a single day. In 95 percent of these events, no arrests were made. However, in the remaining five percent, some protests included incidents of criminal activity, significant property damage and/or assaults on officers that involved bodily force, rocks, bottles, glass, homemade incendiary devices, fireworks, skateboards, umbrellas, pedestrian fencing, paint balloons, lasers and sticks. One officer sustained a significant injury to his elbow after being struck with an unknown object. Officers also suffered dehydration issues due to the long hours in excessive heat conditions. At times, officers had to utilize less lethal munitions to quell the violence and civil unrest, particularly during the first four days of the protest activity.
To provide a safer environment for the demonstrators, the Streets Department closed major thoroughfares in the downtown area. Barricades for hard closures were in place from May 30th to June 10th, between 1st Avenue and 7th Avenue, along Washington and Jefferson Streets to prevent any civilian vehicles from entering these areas, which were often flooded with protest groups.
Following the recent presidential election, numerous protests groups focused their attention on the State Capitol and the County Elections Office. The Department of Public Safety and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office assumed the lead in responding and coordinating resources to address these static events, which drew several hundred people. The Police Department assumed a secondary role and only provided assistance when requested by these partner agencies. Effective November 17th, protest staffing was scaled back and normal police operations for the department resumed.
To date the department has spent approximately $14.5 million in response to the protests. This includes approximately $14 million for staffing costs and $500,000 in equipment and supplies. Cumulative damage estimates in the downtown corridor have been estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Police Department is currently working with Arizona State University to determine how the department can improve upon our approach and response to protests and civil unrest.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Police Department.