Arizona is facing a statewide shortage of police and firefighters. The city of Phoenix Police Department alone reported a shortage of 500 officers last fall.
Between 2010 and 2020, Phoenix added about 300,000 residents, but just one fire engine and 40 firefighters.
That’s about a 2.4% increase in resources to fight a 49% uptick in emergencies.
That lack of public safety personnel also leads to slower response times.
The Arizona Board of Regents hopes to address the issue with the help of a grant.
ABOR’s Fred DuVal said they're funding a statewide survey of current and former officers and firefighters.
“So that we can sort of get at the texture of what’s really driving the burnout, what’s driving the lack of applications and see if we can blend them together into something which is useful to mayors and county leaders," DuVal said.
The money comes from taxpayer funds allocated by Prop. 301. Passed in 2000, the measure targeted sales tax funds for university "New Economy" research. DuVal said they recently decided to use the dollars in that fund to create new community grants for projects like this.
“We started with the governor’s office and the state of Arizona and said to them, what are some things that the state is trying to deal with, for which you lack the research, for which the universities have the talent to help you identify," he said.
