Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego is charging the city’s police chief to have the Anti-Defamation League train all Phoenix officers in identifying hate speech.
The instruction comes after memorabilia circulated around Phoenix Police Department employees that included a phrase closely reminiscent to another phrase commonly used by hate groups. However, an independent investigation found no evidence any Phoenix Police officers knew of the phrase’s tie to hate speech.
Gallego said the ADL, a nonprofit specializing in civil rights law, has helped to train other police departments across the country in identifying hate groups and hate speech in their communities. Gallego instructed Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams during a City Council meeting Tuesday, Aug. 24, to have the ADL train every officer in the city within the next 120 days.
