BECK: The State of Peoria – Investments in our public safety future

During my time as mayor, I have made it clear that my top priority will always be the safety of our residents and our first responders.

Over the last year, we have made many significant investments to plan for, and strengthen, the future of Peoria public safety.

Last August, we formally cut the ribbon on our brand-new aviation unit. The new helicopter, shared by both police and fire, provides valuable aerial support for first responders on the ground. While the crew is still in training, they’ve already responded to over 100 calls for service, which includes incidents involving, among many others, seven missing persons, 12 felony arrests, and 10 fleeing suspects.

In one scenario, detectives were conducting surveillance to locate a violent offender wanted on a felony weapons charge and probation violations. As officers approached the house, the suspect fled out the back, jumping neighboring walls to escape. Through coordinated efforts, including several announcements from the helicopter, officers were able to quickly contain the area and safely apprehend the suspect without incident.

In another instance, the air unit played a crucial role in locating a missing elderly resident, who suffered from memory loss and limited vision. After ground units began searching the parks and walking trails, within minutes the air unit arrived in the area and spotted the man in a remote wash area. They were able to guide officers directly to his location, where he was found dehydrated but otherwise unharmed. He was treated by Peoria Fire and safely returned home to his family.

There will be countless stories like these that serve as a continued stream of reinforcement, underscoring the significance of Peoria’s leadership across the West Valley in citizen protection.

In addition to the aviation unit, in December, we celebrated the upgraded burn building at the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center, followed by the grand opening of our Real-Time Crime Center in March.

The regional facility at GRPSTC now allows our firefighters to simulate real-world scenarios and train in a variety of environments, to ensure they are prepared for every situation. Peoria’s investment into GRPSTC represents our commitment to regional partnerships that invest in our first responders and keep our region safe.

Thanks to a $2.6 million state grant, the Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) has allowed Peoria Police and Fire-Medical to tap into state-of-the-art technologies from across the city, including our schools, to monitor real-time emergencies and events, investigations, community policing, and crime prevention. In its first operational month, the RTCC responded to over 140 calls for service that have led to expedited and safe apprehensions. This represents yet another important asset that will be used to not only protect our communities, but to ensure our police officers and firefighters make it home safely to their families every single night.

Over the last two budget cycles, the city has added 56 new positions across both Police and Fire. This includes six additional School Liaison Officers, dedicated to continuing our efforts to ensure we are keeping our schools and students safe.

Part of our increased staffing need stems from the announcement of the brand-new Fire Station in Vistancia. As our city grows, so do our public safety needs.

As a city, we are committed to stepping up and meeting those needs to ensure our current, and future communities remain safe. The phased fire station will support Fire-Medical needs, ahead of the planned growth in the area.

From our Peoria community to our police officers and firefighters who keep us safe every day — thank you. As mayor, my commitment remains that we will always support and prioritize our city’s public safety needs to ensure that both our residents and first responders return home safely to their families.

To learn more about Peoria’s investments in public safety, please visit www.peoriaaz.gov/publicsafety.