Cactus Village Community

Citizens Panel Formed to Examine Crime Fighting Efforts

Jul 07, 2003

City Councilman Dave Siebert, chairman of the city's Public Safety Subcommittee, has created a citizen's panel to look for ways to help the Phoenix Police Department bolster its efforts to fight crime and improve public safety.

"The Phoenix Police Department does an outstanding job of providing services to make our city a safe and enjoyable place to live," Siebert said. "But with rising crime nationally and with cities grappling with tight budgets and limited resources, we need to study the issue of how to best allocate resources and meet public safety needs," Siebert said.
Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley will chair the five-member panel, which also will include Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Valerie Manning, former state Rep. Art Hamilton and former Phoenix Mayor and City Council member Thelda Williams. The group will work to find best practices that will help to make the department operate more efficiently and effectively.

The panel is expected to make its recommendations to the subcommittee by late May.