Surprise police offer 24/7 Safe Exchange Zone for custody swaps, online sales outside its HQ

The Surprise Police Department has created a monitored Safe Exchange Zone for child custody exchanges, online sales and other lawful in-person transactions.

Three cameras film all interactions in the zone, which is at 14250 W. Statler Plaza, right in front of the Surprise Police Department. It is available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a first-come, first-served basis, with no time limit.

Sgt. Rick Hernandez said the department had been looking into creating the zone for about six months, based on community feedback and the success of a similar zone in El Mirage.

“We have had a few very notable domestic violence incidents and investigations that our department has received, and so I think that sparked a lot of communication between our officers and then our community, and that’s where the idea had presented itself,” Hernandez told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday.

“We understand that child custody exchanges and other person-to-person exchanges can be, sometimes, stressful situations for our community, so this initiative provides a designated safe location where community members can feel more comfortable and confident while conducting those child exchanges,” Hernandez said.

The space is only about the size of two parking spots, but researchers say monitored exchange areas can make a major difference, especially for domestic violence survivors.

Why are safe zones helpful in child custody exchanges?

According to the University of Michigan, post-separation abuse often increases during child exchanges. Many women who experienced domestic violence reported emotional or physical abuse from former partners, including property destruction and death threats, while handing off or picking up children.

“We know sometimes domestic violence can spill over and we don’t want there to be any anxiety when those exchanges are happening,” Hernandez said.

Findings have led researchers to recommend intervention when there is a history of domestic violence, including supervision by a professional third party.

How does the safe exchange zone near Surprise Police Department work?

Although the cameras at the Surprise Safe Exchange Zone are not constantly monitored live, the footage is recorded and stored for up to 60 days. Members of the public can request the footage through a public records request.

The area is open 24/7, well lit and a short walk from the lobby of Surprise Police headquarters. The camera feeds also are available to department dispatchers, analysts and staff in the real-time information center, who can monitor them if needed.

“Just like anything else, if there’s a police incident, you provide us that police incident number. If there’s not a police incident number, if you provide us a date, time, location. If that video is available, we’ll be able to turn it over for that,” Hernandez said.

So far, community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, he added. Residents are already asking for a second Safe Exchange Zone at the future police substation in northern Surprise, and police are planning to add one there.

“We’re here trying to find proactive ways to serve our community,” Hernandez said. “We wanted to provide an area where they can feel comfortable and our Safe Exchange Zone, I think, has done just that.”

This is an updated version of a story originally published on June 9, 2026.

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