Claims: El Mirage, Ariz. cuts costs by reducing medical care to injured officers

PHOENIX — The Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, known as AZCOPS, is claiming the city of El Mirage is trying to cut costs by reducing medical benefits to police officers injured in the line of duty.

“They put their lives out there on the line for you without question and (the city) can’t help them in the time when they need it,” AZCOPS Executive Director Jim Parks said.

Parks claimed morale is at an all-time low within the police department and blamed city management for it.

“This is all under the City Manager (Spencer) Isom’s direction,” Parks said. “He’s basically taken a stance that cops are expendable.”

In a statement, Isom said he cares for all officers and ensures they are getting adequate medical care.

“AZCOPS’ claim El Mirage has reduced “medical benefits” to officers injured in the line of duty is fact starved and false,” the statement read. “When an officer is ‘injured in the line of duty,’ state worker’s compensation policies, not city policies, govern how the benefits will be paid.”

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