Phoenix names three finalists to be next police chief
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Photos: Courtesy of the City of Phoenix
Three finalists are vying to become Phoenix's next police chief.
The big picture: The three contenders are Malik Aziz, chief of the Prince George's County Police Department in Maryland; Matthew Giordano, executive director of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training (AZPOST); and Mirtha Ramos, former chief of the DeKalb County Police Department in Georgia.
- The city selected the three Wednesday from among 39 applicants.
Aziz has been chief in Prince George's County for four years.
- The bulk of his 35-year law enforcement career was with the Dallas Police Department, where he retired as deputy chief after 29 years.
Giordano leads AZPOST, which is responsible for setting qualifications to serve as a law enforcement officer in Arizona.
- He previously worked as executive chief of enforcement at the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and spent more than two decades with the Phoenix Police Department, retiring as a commander.
Ramos spent 22 years with the Miami-Dade Police Department, rising to division chief before her 2019 appointment as chief of the DeKalb County Police Department, in the Atlanta area.
- DeKalb County's CEO forced out Ramos earlier this year, per local news reports, though the county saw a significant drop in violent crime during her tenure. She was the county's longest-serving chief in 20 years, as well as its first female chief.
What's next: The candidates will participate in a public forum June 16.
- The public can submit feedback and questions for the finalists through the city's community survey.
- The city aims to select a new chief in July.
Between the lines: A U.S. Department of Justice investigation last year found a pattern of constitutional rights violations by the Phoenix Police Department.
- The city committed to moving forward with reforms regardless of an investigation under the Trump administration, which ended the probe and rescinded its findings last month.
Catch up quick: The city had four finalists for the position, but it reopened the search after then-interim chief Michael Sullivan withdrew his name from consideration.
- Phoenix officials hoped to get applications from new candidates who may have been dissuaded by the perception that Sullivan was likely to get the job.
- None of the other three candidates were among the finalists announced by the city Wednesday.
- After leaving the Phoenix Police Department, Sullivan was named chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.