According to police and reports of crimes, downtown Tucson is becoming a more dangerous place to be. The number of reported crimes is increasing, and many of the crimes are violent and/or life-threatening. Tucson law enforcement is investigating ways of coping with the growing problem, including the use of surveillance cameras. Since 2004, 44 rapes; 271 aggravated assaults; 284 robberies; and 7 homicides have been reported. The preponderance of the crimes are committed between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM. Needless to say this is hurting downtown businesses.

HIT AND RUN PEDESTRIAN FATALITY
at IRVINGTON RD. AND CALLE OLE
On October 15, 2006, at 3:03 a.m. officers from Operations Division South responded to
Irvington Rd. and Calle Ole reference a pedestrian hit by a vehicle. The victim, Matthew Salls, 22 of the 1100 block of E. Wyoming who was crossing Irvington from south to north was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not in a crosswalk. Detectives responded and determined the vehicle is a late 90’s light blue or gray/blue SUV. The vehicle will have front-end damage including broken headlights and possibly a broken windshield. We are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating this vehicle. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

HOMICIDE SUSPECT

Tucson Police Department Gang Detectives have identified a suspect in the September 28, 2006 homicide in the 6100 block of S. Nogales Hwy. Detectives have obtained a First-Degree Murder Warrant for 29 year old Efren Uribe Retana. Mr. Retana also has a First-Degree Murder Warrant out for his arrest for a homicide on March 28, 2006.

Detectives are asking for the public?s help in locating Efren Uribe Retana. Mr. Retana is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Mr. Retana is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

Location: 6100 Block of South Nogales Hwy

On September 28, 2006 at 8:47 p.m., officers from Operations Division South responded to the 6000 block of S. Nelco Place reference a shooting. Responding officers located an adult male victim and an adult female victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to a local hospital. The female victim, Jerrica Nuanez, 19, a Tucson resident, was later pronounced deceased at 11:54 p.m. The male victim’s injuries were determined to be non-life threatening.

Detectives responded to investigate the incident. Detectives learned the victims were in a vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the 6100 block of S. Nogales Hwy. What was described as a blue or green minivan with multiple occupants drove up to the victim vehicle as the victims were still inside. Shots were fired from the minivan into the victim vehicle striking both victims once. The victims were able to drive away to the area where officers located them after residents called 911.

There are no suspect descriptions available at this time and no motive has been established. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

The Honorable Janet Napolitano
Governor, State of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Subject: FY 2008 and FY 2009 Budget Requests

Dear Governor Napolitano:
The enclosed documents reflect the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s FY 2008 and FY 2009 budget requests. DPS is requesting modest increases of 8.6% in FY 2008 and 6.6% in FY 2009. Despite the moderate requests, we believe we can accomplish some remarkable outcomes with these levels of resources. We are optimistic that you and the Legislature will support our initiatives to improve the public safety of all Arizonans.

Our budget request contains four major themes:

Hiring and Retention

As a service organization, the Department relies on its employees to achieve our mission of protecting the public. This is reflected by the fact that 73% of our budget is for payroll-related costs. Yet, we are facing daunting challenges in the hiring and retention of critical employees. Approximately 13% of our positions are currently vacant. The rates are higher for certain positions, such as computer programmer and telecommunications engineers, each with about a 36% vacancy rate.

Our requests include a 3-year plan to increase civilian pay by 21% to achieve parity with our competition. We also ask for continued funding of your plan to raise sworn salaries over a 5-year period, ending in FY 2009. Support for these requests is critical as a number of forces collide to produce an increasingly competitive law enforcement labor market.

Operational Efficiency

With the hiring situation so difficult, we know that we must concentrate on efficiency to produce the best results possible. The Department’s requests contain numerous initiatives to streamline our operations.

We are requesting funding for civilian background investigators to conduct hiring checks in a more cost effective manner. These investigators will cost less than sworn officers who currently perform these checks, will produce a faster and more standardized product, and will reduce the need to divert officers from patrolling the highways or conducting criminal investigations.

Rather than requesting more Highway Patrol officers, we are requesting a total of 22 motorist assist drivers, detention officers, and school bus inspectors. These civilian employees or limited authority peace officers will specialize in their respective functions and be able to deliver a more cost effective service, while freeing up existing officers to conduct more proactive enforcement. If funded, these positions will effectively increase our Highway Patrol officer staffing by a like number.

Technology Infrastructure

Another key to becoming more efficient is to update the Department’s technology infrastructure. In FY 2008, we are requesting funding for an overhaul of both our information systems “architecture” and our Intranet. These are important steps in stabilizing our information systems and in paving the way for future enhancements such as the records management system (RMS) being requested in FY 2009. DPS is one of the few large law enforcement agencies without a comprehensive RMS. This fact causes inefficiency and frustration among our employees, and reduced service levels to our customers.

One of the most important technology projects in recent memory is the design and implementation of an interoperable, statewide public safety communications system. The Public Safety Communications Commission (PSCC), who is charged with developing this system, will be ready to contract for the detailed design of the system in FY 2008 and will be ready to test the system design in FY 2009. We are requesting $2.2 million in the first year and $4.5 million in the second year of the biennium for these phases. If all goes according to plan, we should have a fully interoperable system by the middle of 2013.

Criminal Justice Support

DPS was created in 1969, in large part to provide critical support services to State and local law enforcement agencies throughout Arizona. In the last 10 years, the number of police officers in the state has grown by 31%, yet the Department has received virtually no increases in criminal justice support staff who serve these customers. We are requesting a total of 19 positions in FY 2008 and FY 2009 to begin to rectify this situation.

One of our most important requests is for $15.6 million through the Capital Improvement Plan process to construct a new crime lab in Tucson. Submissions to this facility have increased by 326% in the last seven years. Our employees in this lab do a remarkable job of providing quality scientific analysis while working out of a building that was originally designed to be a warehouse. Without this funding it will be difficult to maintain the high level of forensic science services that the public, juries, police officers, and crime victims are entitled to receive.

We look forward to working with you and your staff, as well as the Legislature, on these and many other important issues. Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,
Roger Vanderpool
Director