Tempe Police Department

The Tempe Police Department serves the city of Tempe, Arizona.

Tempe Police Department
Common name	Tempe Police Department
Abbreviation	Tempe PD
Motto	Honor - Integrity - Loyalty - Dedication
Agency overview
Formed	1895
Preceding agency	Municipal Police
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Tempe, Arizona, USA
Population	170,000
General nature	Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	120 E. Fifth St.
Agency executive	Sylvia Moir, Chief of Police
Website
http://www.tempe.gov/police

The Town of Tempe was incorporated in November 1894 and as the population increased, George Compton was elected the town's first marshal on January 14, 1895. By 1901, law enforcement expanded with the purchase of a motorcycle to assist with enforcing the town’s speed ordinance. Growth continued between 1920 and 1922 and a night police officer was added to assist policing. In 1928, a German Shepherd police dog was loaned to the town by the Los Angeles Police Department to supplement the marshals’ efforts.

One additional night officer was added in the 1930s and mobility increased with the purchase of a patrol car in 1938. A short wave radio and siren would be added to the car by 1941. As the town and police force expanded, the title of marshal was changed to police chief in 1949.

As the town's population continued to grow into the 1960s and 1970s, the department continued to expand. In 1974, the department created the state's first police mounted unit; in 1975 a SWAT Team was formed and by 1979 a K-9 unit was operational.

The city of Tempe continued to grow and had more than 100,000 residents by the 1980s. The department responded to this population growth implementing community policing techniques of the time by 1988. In this same year, the department started the Citizen's Police Academy along with the Volunteers in Policing (VIP) Program.

During the 1990s, the Tempe Police Department continued to grow as events associated with a bustling downtown, Arizona State University and numerous special events grew in size and number. The department’s police officers provided security and public safety for college football national championships, professional football championships and one of the nation's largest New Year's Eve block parties. In 1992, the Bike Squad was created to provide a proactive group of officers able to quickly respond for service within the congested downtown. During Fiscal Year 2003-04, Tempe Police Department had increased to 326 sworn officers and 182 civilian support employees.[1]

The department's most recent objectives include the use of intelligence-led policing. This includes the creation of a Crime and Intelligence Center, more streamlined internal communication and improved relationships with other law enforcement and government agencies.

As of 2010, the Tempe Police Department had more than 330 sworn police officers in patrol, investigations and support areas and approximately 150 civilian staff serving a jail, identification unit, communications and records groups and numerous other support units and positions. The employees serve a community of over 170,000 residents [2] in addition to an influx of more than 50,000 college students [3] and thousands of people who study and work in Tempe.

Misconduct and Controversy

In July 2012, press reports showed that Officer Aaron Smith had been arrested for stealing money, bikes and other equipment from police headquarters.[4] Smith plead guilty to a single theft charge and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years probation.[5]

On January 15, 2019 Officer Joseph Jaen repsonded to a 911 call about an in progress burglary of a vehicle in an alley.[6] Footage shows Jaen exited his vehicle and hid behind a dumpster, drawing his service weapon and pointing it at a figure in a pickup truck. Jaen failed to identify himself as law enforcement, only saying "hey" when 14 year old Antonio Arce fled on foot down the alley. Jaen takes two shots at Arce's back from approximately 50 yards away, one bullet striking the teenager between the shoulder blades. Jaen pursues Arce through the alley, finding him collapsed on the street.[7] Antonio Arce later died at the hospital. For months the Tempe Police Department refused to release information to the family and lawyers without requiring a non-disclosure agreement with a $1 million penalty, an unprecedented stipulation for the release of public records. [8] Jaen resigned over the incident. After a year of investigating Phoenix prosecutors declined to press charges. Despite concluding that Arce did not match the description of a 40 year old suspect as reported by Jaen, Arizona being an open carry state, Arce running away from the officer, and being over 100 feet away when Jaen opened fire, the prosecutors believed they would not have won a conviction in court. [9] Jaen was also granted an early accidental disability retirement by the retirement board in January of 2020, which allows him to collect a pension. "An accidental disability is one that occurred while the employee was on the clock and permanently prevents the employee from doing his or her job."[10]

Date	Incident Type	Civilians	Officers	Details	Outcomes	Source
July 28, 2012	Theft		Aaron Smith	Arrested for theft of equipment and evidence.	Resigned. Plead guilty and sentenced to 90 days jail time and 3 years probation.	[4][5]
January 15, 2019	Police Shooting	Antonio Arce	Joseph Jaen	Joseph Jaen shot 14 year old Antonio Arce in the back as Arce ran down an alley.	Resigned. No charges filed. Retirement board granted Jaen disability retirement.	[6][9][10]

Fallen officers

Since 1919, five officers and two K-9s have died while on duty.[11]

Officer	Date	Details
Albert Nettle	May 18, 1919	Gunfire
Cyrus M. Spangler	January 11, 1921	Gunfire
John Eaton Bradshaw	September 20, 1987	Gunfire
Robert Lyle Hawk	September 24, 1988	Vehicular assault
Kevin Louis Weeks	September 28, 2006	Motorcycle accident

K9	Date	Details
Murph	November 21, 1986	Gunfire
Baloo	July 1, 2008	Fall

References

1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-02-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/04/0473000.html
3. "Inclusion| Community Engagement | Diversity |Arizona State University". inclusion.asu.edu.
4. "Tempe police: Officer resigns after admitting to theft, by Maria Polleta". AZ Central.
5. "Aaron Smith, Ex-Tempe Cop, Gets 90 Days in Jail for Being a Petty Thief, by Matthew Hendley". Phoenix New Times.
6. "Video: Tempe Officer Fatally Shot 14-Year-Old in the Back, by Steven Hsieh". Phoenix New Times.
7. "Tempe police release report, video in officer's fatal shooting of 14-year-old Antonio Arce". AZ Central.
8. "Antonio Arce's Family Wanted Answers. Tempe Demanded Secrecy". Phoenix New Times.
9. "Arizona cop who fatally shot teen in back won't be charged". ABC News Go.
10. "Board grants retirement for ex-officer who fatally shot teen". AP News.
11. "Tempe Police Department, AZ". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP).