An investigation of the city of Maricopa’s police department found that officers there mishandled 40 cases involving serious crimes, ranging from sexual assault to sexual conduct with minors.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation into city cases between 2012 and 2022, following a discovery that some cases were “incompletely investigated, insufficiently documented, or closed without appropriate supervisory review.”
The audit “revealed repeated and systemic failures in case management and supervision.”
Of the 40 cases evaluated, 14 remain open, including five that have been submitted to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.
Of the seven officers handling cases that were investigated, five are still with the department. Two received disciplinary suspensions.
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A former Peoria high school teacher and soccer coach is facing federal charges and is under investigation for allegations that she groomed a student while he was a minor. Haley Beck was fired from her job at Centennial High School in March. -
The FIGHT Act is co-sponsored by 165 member of Congress, including Sen. Mark Kelly and Reps. Greg Stanton, Juan Ciscomani, and David Schweikert. -
Under Operation Not Forgotten, more personnel will be filtering through nearly a dozen FBI field offices with close ties to Indian Country. When asked, the FBI National Press Office would not specify how many agency staff are “surging,” writing “we do not have an estimate” in response to KJZZ. -
The Arizona House has passed a bill that would prohibit any adjustment in a person’s probation following the conviction of a “dangerous crime against children.” That applies to certain crimes against a child 15 and younger. -
Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan and Republican allies have been pushing for an end to court oversight of his department for months now.
