Phoenix Police Department seeks community input on youth interactions policy

PHOENIX — Those who want to influence how the Phoenix Police Department interacts with young people have a rare opportunity to weigh in.

On Friday, the department announced it is seeking public feedback on a new Youth Interactions Policy.

The proposed policy, released for review, outlines how officers should be respectful and supportive when engaging with young people.

It has not been finalized because the department hopes to incorporate community perspectives during a 30-day comment period.

Through Saturday, Nov. 22, the public is encouraged to review the policy and share input.

How to provide input on new youth interactions policy for Phoenix police

At the end of the six-page document, a blue button labeled “Click here to provide feedback” links to a Microsoft Forms survey that asks respondents to review specific sections and indicate whether the policy, as written:

• Appropriately guides officers
• Is clearly written and comprehensive
• Sets appropriate limits on what officers should and should not do

A Spanish version of the policy and the input form is also available.

Phoenix police ask for input after DOJ report points to potential juvenile rights violations

The request for public input comes over a year after the U.S. Department of Justice, under former President Joe Biden, identified a pattern of civil rights abuses the Phoenix Police Department perpetuated against various demographics, from unhoused people to minors.

The report said the department used “problematic tactics and unlawful conduct” that hurt children’s physical and mental well-being, contributing to diminished academic performance, higher levels of depression and post-traumatic stress.

During encounters with children over minor issues—sometimes where no crime has been committed—PhxPD officers escalate situations with combative language and needless force. In one such incident, two officers threw a 15-year-old Latino boy against a bus stop pole, held the back of his neck, and handcuffed him after he asked to call his mother.

The DOJ also said police officers regularly swore at minors, used demeaning language, threatened to arrest children who asked questions and used “excessive force” during encounters with kids.

It should be noted, however, that President Donald Trump’s DOJ retracted the report in May.

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