As president-elect, Donald Trump gets to choose who becomes U.S. attorney general.
Then a new top law-enforcement officer can decide whether to keep pursuing oversight of Phoenix and its police department based on a blistering civil rights investigation.
President Joe Biden’s Justice Department has investigated three law enforcement agencies for civil rights abuses.
Under former President Barack Obama, 25 of these reviews were opened.
When Trump held office, the feds did only one pattern or practice investigation.
“I think the likelihood of oversight has really, practically evaporated quite literally overnight,” said Jeremy Helfgot, who serves on police advisory and review boards.
When findings were revealed about five months ago, the feds said Phoenix needs the help of independent supervision to root out systemic problems.
The city manager’s office said officials do not know what effect Trump’s return to the White House may have. Regardless, Phoenix remains committed to improving public safety services.
“Elections have consequences,” said Phoenix Councilman Jim Waring. “I am assuming the policies of the Justice Department relating to these judicial activities, taking over police departments, I am expecting that’s one policy that is going to change but I don’t know that for a fact.”
Waring said he expects Phoenix to remain focused on improving the police department, regardless of who leads the DOJ in the Trump administration.
In an email to KJZZ, a city spokesperson said, “We do not know what impact, if any, the election might have. Regardless, the City of Phoenix remains committed to making improvements to the public safety services it provides. These improvements include, but are not limited to what was outlined at the September 24, 2024 policy session.”
Recently, city officials traveled to Washington, D.C. to talk with DOJ representatives. In the statement, Phoenix said, “ We approached the meeting from the perspective of it being the first of many discussions with the DOJ as we work to identify a plan that works for Phoenix. While we cannot discuss the specifics of the meeting, we remain committed to developing a path that moves our City and its police department forward.”
During Trump’s first term, the attorney general told the largest police union in the country that the law-and-order president backs the blue.
Helfgot expects the Justice Department under Trump to again be pro-police.
“And we’re going to see the action involving the city of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department quietly go away,” Helfgot said.
The Justice Department under Trump did not investigate when Phoenix police led the country in officer-involved shootings in 2018.
