The Phoenix City Council is praising the outgoing interim police chief who recently withdrew his candidacy for the permanent job.
Michael Sullivan arrived in 2022 during a yearslong civil rights investigation and gave his final update on department reforms on Tuesday.
A major accomplishment by Sullivan was overcoming labor union pushback to change department policy on when officers can use violence or physical force. If it’s unavoidable, officer actions now have to be objective, reasonable, necessary and proportional.
City Council member Kevin Robinson joined Phoenix police 45 years ago. He said Sullivan did what could not be done during the 1990s.
“Chief, you have what I truly refer to as profiles in courage because you knew what it meant to make decisions that people would not like. And that is true leadership,” Robinson said.
Sullivan thanked the council and deflected praise to the rank and file.
Friday is Sullivan's last day as Phoenix police chief.
