Council approves settlement related to police driving incident; chief outlines investigations and training

The Phoenix City Council on Feb. 18 approved a settlement tied to a police‑involved driving incident and spent time questioning department accountability and training protocols.

Councilmember Hernandez highlighted a recent pattern of payouts and pressed the police chief for details on how the department investigates driving incidents and learns from them. The chief said supervisors respond to the scene, conduct interviews and create internal investigations that are reviewed by a driving analysis committee in the traffic bureau. "We look at trends ... and if we see patterns, then we'll address those patterns with the entire department," the chief said, describing a mix of training responses and, where appropriate, discipline.

Councilmember Hernandez asked whether officers involved in collisions must complete additional or remedial training before returning to driving; the chief said the department may require individualized instruction at the academy and that disciplinary actions follow when officers are found to be out of policy.

Why it matters: Council members framed the item as both a fiscal and safety concern, noting that payouts alone do not substitute for measured steps to prevent reoccurrence. The chief said the department follows an investigatory process and uses its driving analysis committee to guide training and discipline.

What happened next: The council approved the settlement as presented; procedural roll call indicated unanimous passage for the item as part of the agenda.

— Reporting from Phoenix City Council proceedings; quotes are from the public exchange during the item hearing.