PHOENIX — Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan stepped down from his role Friday, setting the city of Phoenix on track to restart its search for a permanent police chief.
He said he came to the decision after a lot of contemplation and prayer.
“Thinking truly what is best for this city and what is best for this department because I’ve been here three years almost, and I’ve learned to love this city,” Sullivan told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Friday. “There’s a community here like no other.”
Sullivan was brought in in 2022 to help reform the department while it was being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice for abuses of power. The DOJ released a report in June 2024 that accused the Phoenix Police Department of a pattern of civil rights violations.
What reform did Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan oversee?
Sullivan said he was brought in to educate City of Phoenix leadership on what federal oversight — known as a consent decree — would mean for the city.
City officials have said they intend to fight against the oversight because it would create restrictions that impede ongoing reform efforts.
Sullivan said he also worked to create systems to identify issues before they became a big problem. Some of his reforms include the expansion of less lethal tools officers use on the street.
“We brought in national best practice training, or ICAT training, that talks about how we deal with people that are armed with things other than firearms,” Sullivan said.
He also touted the city’s Road to Reform outline, which was created to address reforms before the DOJ report was released.
What comes next for Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan?
Currently, Sullivan has no plans. He said it’s a little scary to move forward without a concrete goal in mind.
“This will be the third department I’ve been in, and I always had a plan. I don’t really have a plan right now and I think that’s okay,” Sullivan said.
Phoenix Police are preparing to move into new headquarters. Sullivan said he wished the transition would have happened under his watch.
He believes the move will help them to modernize police data and upgrade some of the antiquated technology they currently use.
“Hopefully, here, in just a few months, cops will be making reports on their phone, and why shouldn’t they in this new era?” Sullivan said. “This department is going to go forward and be better than it ever has been before.”
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