AZ Political Podcast: Kevin Robinson breaks down the politics of policing

PHOENIX — On this week’s AZ Political Podcast, former Assistant Phoenix Police Chief and current Phoenix City Councilman Kevin Robinson discusses the “politics of policing” with me — an especially pertinent topic after two Phoenix police officers were shot by a suspect this week — leaving one critically wounded.

Considering that Tuesday’s shooting was the 11th time Phoenix officers have been fired upon this year, I asked Robinson if the “Defund the Police” movement is (at all) responsible for this level of violence being directed at law enforcement.

We also talked about Robinson traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with Department of Justice officials following the DOJ’s not-so-complimentary “pattern and practice” report on Phoenix PD. He went there to see if anything less than a consent decree would be accepted by the DOJ. A decree would lead to federal supervision that could last for years and cost millions of dollars — at least it has in every jurisdiction where it’s been implemented.

Since we were talking about the “politics of policing,” I asked Robinson what his motivation was to go from police to politician. Interestingly, at least a little part of his motivation was the negative things one council member (not from his district) had been saying about the police.

We also explored what Robinson’s life was like as a Black police officer — did it cause any conflict within him and did he suffer any racial incidents at the hands of police while not in uniform? He gave some very interesting answers there.

Thanks, as always, for checking out the AZ Political Podcast.

AZ Political Podcast is available at KTAR.com, the KTAR News app and everywhere you get your podcasts.

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