Three finalists to become chief of Phoenix police are set to take part in a public forum at 5 p.m. on Monday in the Phoenix City Council chambers and streaming live on YouTube.
One finalist retired from the Phoenix Police Department and has remained in law enforcement. The other two are police chiefs in other states.
The candidates are:
- Malik Aziz, chief of police for the Prince George’s County Police Department in Maryland.
- Matthew Giordano, executive director of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
- Mirtha V. Ramos, chief of police of the DeKalb County Police Department in Georgia.
Phoenix leaders expect to announce one of them as a new chief next month.
Public interviews of four other finalists were held less than 90 days ago. But the then acting chief withdrew, officials weighed feedback and decided to relaunch their search.
Phoenix police were under civil rights investigation for years and have lacked a permanent chief since 2022. The Justice Department recently ended its review and retracted a blistering findings report.
The city said it was still committed to reforms.
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The U-visa is approved in limited quantities to immigrant victims of certain crimes who agree to work with law enforcement. If approved, it provides a path to a green card and a work permit.
