The Phoenix Police Department released the following statement on Friday, addressing public concerns about the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Phoenix:

"It is the mission of the Phoenix Police Department to serve everyone in our community with dignity and respect. We are committed to protecting the rights and safety of every person who lives, works and visits our city.

"With heightened concerns about the presence of outside agencies, including federal law enforcement such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the National Guard, we want to share what our community should expect from Phoenix PD officers:

• Phoenix PD officers will always identify themselves in the course of their duties.
• Officers responding to calls or conducting enforcement are not permitted to wear full-face coverings.
• Officers’ uniforms must display visible Phoenix Police Department identifiers.

"Building trust and transparency continues to be our focus. If you encounter someone claiming to be a Phoenix PD officer who refuses to identify themselves or lacks visible markings, and you want to confirm their identity:

• Call 911 immediately if the situation is happening now.
• If it is not an emergency, report it to the Phoenix PD hotline and the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) at (602) 262-6287.

"Important Clarifications:

• Phoenix PD officers do not enforce federal immigration laws. Our role is to uphold local and state laws and protect public safety. While we do not participate with ICE, we also cannot interrupt or prevent their operations.
• We do work closely with federal partners on serious criminal investigations, including drug trafficking, child exploitation, and violent crime. These partnerships help keep our community safe while respecting constitutional rights.

"Federal agencies operating in Phoenix do not represent the Phoenix Police Department. Phoenix PD officers do not respond to calls for service or routine enforcement with face coverings and our officers’ uniforms must display visible Phoenix PD identifiers. If you have concerns about any law enforcement interaction, please reach out to us directly.

"Together, we can ensure safety, accountability, and trust in our community. We believe that by unifying our community, we make our community safer."

Editor’s note: The above was republished from a Phoenix Police Department news release.