Senator: Phoenix Fire Department's DEI program led to 'widespread culture of discrimination'

Arizona Sen. Jake Hoffman claims there’s a “widespread culture of discrimination” within the Phoenix Fire Department, which the Republican lawmaker attributes to diversity, equity and inclusion practices he says are part of the department’s hiring and promotion processes.

At a brief hearing Wednesday, Hoffman lashed out at officials at the Fire Department and Attorney General Kris Mayes for failing to come testify before his committee – and at Mayes, a Democrat, for what Hoffman claims is her office’s refusal to investigate allegations that Phoenix is “putting in place a matrix of who should be in those positions based off of what they look like, who they sleep with and what their gender is.”

Those listed as scheduled to testify at the hearing, including Phoenix assistant and deputy fire chiefs, as well as Mayes herself, said they were only invited to attend after Hoffman published the committee’s agenda.

“I think they declared that she's going to be there, then sent an email asking that [Mayes] come,” said Richie Taylor, a spokesperson for the attorney general.

Both Mayes and officials with the city of Phoenix did respond to Hoffman in writing.

Mayes was unavailable at the time the hearing was scheduled, Taylor said. And in a letter to Hoffman, responding to his allegations on social media that her office has failed to investigate complaints of discrimination at the Phoenix Fire Department for over a year, Mayes wrote that civil rights investigations conducted by her office must remain confidential until a lawsuit is filed.

“It is improper and in violation of the Arizona Administrative Code and Arizona law for me to comment publicly about an ongoing civil rights investigation,” Mayes wrote in a letter to Hoffman on Dec. 10.

Christina Estes/KJZZ

In its own letter, Phoenix officials wrote that there’s an active internal investigation related to Hoffman’s allegations that bars the speakers he listed as attending from commenting publicly on the matter. City Attorney Julie Kriegh wrote to Hoffman offering to send Phoenix Fire Chief Mike Duran to testify, but noted that the Senate Government Committee declined that offer.

In his remarks at the hearing, Hoffman denied the city ever offered to send Duran, calling the claim a “boldfaced” lie. And he called those who did not attend “cowards.”

“I’m obviously disappointed by this exercise in pathetic cowardice by the city of Phoenix and Kris Mayes. The city and Mayes shouldn’t care that I’m disappointed, no, they should care instead about the message they’re sending to the brave firefighters all across the state,” Hoffman said.

During his remarks Wednesday, Hoffman didn’t say who brought the allegations against the fire department. But he claimed classes and materials are being provided to firefighters about anti-racism and “the state of LGBTQ+,” which Hoffman said indicates that the city doesn’t want the best firefighters.

In its letter to Hoffman, Phoenix officials denied that it considers such factors when promoting from within the Fire Department.

“Those who compete for a Captain position are ranked based on a combination of factors, specifically scores on written test results, tactical test results, and an oral interview. … The Fire Department does not consider any other factors, including race, gender or sexual orientation, when determining promotion eligibility,” Kriegh wrote in her letter.