Arizona bill mandating outside probe of police shootings hopes to build public trust

PHOENIX — Law enforcement agencies and political leaders in Arizona are trying to build community trust through legislation that would require an outside investigation of police shootings.

The bipartisan legislation sponsored by Republican House Speaker Rusty Bowers would create and fund a new division within the Arizona Department of Public Safety to specifically investigate shooting incidents by police or any other use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer, regardless of whether someone dies.

“What this legislation will do is allow for the rest of the state to have the opportunity to have an independent investigation by another agency, whether it be a branch of DPS, a local task force, or another agency,” Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

When drafting the legislation, law enforcement partnered with Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute to conduct a public opinion survey and gauge the public’s trust in law enforcement.

The study found 60.3% of respondents trust police in general.

However, when asked if they trust the department to investigate a shooting by one of its own officers that number dropped to 35.9%.

When asked what agency they trusted to investigate these incidents, about half of Arizonans said they would have confidence in a statewide agency created to specifically investigate shootings by police.

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone stresses the importance of having the public’s trust and support when it comes to law enforcement.

“You cannot have a sound safe community if you do not have law enforcement that is supported by the community and trusted by the community,” he said.

“I believe that what will happen (if the bill passes) is an enhanced trust. This will lead to a place where the community will understand the complexities of our job and that when done correctly, there’s a reason to trust in what we do every day.”

The bill would provide $24 million in funding for the new DPS division, with the requirements going into effect in June of 2025.

Local agencies would still do parallel internal policy reviews in police shootings, and the bill doesn’t stop independent civilian review boards like what the city of Phoenix launched last year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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