A Day After Receiving Police Endorsement, Gallego Asks DOJ To Ease Up On Oversight Of Phoenix PD

On the heels of a surprising endorsement from a pro-Trump police group, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego asked federal law enforcement not to impose reforms on the Phoenix Police Department, following an investigation that uncovered an alleged pattern of civil rights violations. 

The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association posted a copy of the letter from Gallego to the DOJ on Facebook Tuesday a day after the Arizona Police Association, an umbrella advocacy organization for more than 50 police agencies (including Phoenixs), announced its endorsement of Democratic candidate Gallego for U.S. Senate against Republican Kari Lake.

The timing of Gallegos letter is notable, given how quickly it was sent following Gallegos endorsement by the Arizona police group, whose leader has also made a show of endorsing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump .

Gallegos campaign declined to comment regarding the letter to the DOJ. The Arizona Police Association did not respond to a request to discuss its endorsement.

Gallego, an ex-member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus who was critical of law enforcement after George Floyds murder in 2020, has been recasting himself as a moderate to win over Arizona independents.

In the letter to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke, Gallego wrote that he was deeply concerned about the DOJs attempt to impose a consent decree essentially, a court-ordered improvement plan on the Phoenix Police Department, in response to the DOJs findings that Phoenix officers used excessive force and violated the rights of people of color, homeless people and protesters.

Gallego, whose ex-wife, Kate Gallego, is Phoenixs Democratic mayor, cited a mere 120 incidents uncovered by the DOJ over an eight-year period.

This amounts to an exceptionally small fraction of one percent of service calls, he wrote, arguing that federal oversight would cost Phoenix taxpayers $50 million and result in a staffing crisis on its police force. Gallego urged the department to consider a softer option.

Phoenix officials also staunchly oppose federal oversight of the citys police department, and Lake in June called the DOJs findings the latest power grab by federal bureaucrats.

That stance, however, puts them at odds with civil rights advocates who want to see the department held to greater account.

We think [a consent decree] is a pretty crucial tool, and it is a tool that has fortunately come to use after the previous administration stopped using it, said Chlo White, a senior policy counsel at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, who would not comment specifically on Gallegos letter.

We understand that there is always going to be conflict when an outside body finds there has been misconduct on the part of a local body. This is something the DOJ and the city of Phoenix will work out.

The timing of the Arizona Police Associations endorsement and Gallegos letter raises eyebrows not only because the group endorsed  Trump at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, last Friday , but because it previously backed Lake for governor in 2022.

It is clear who supports law enforcement, law and order, and thats President Trump, Arizona Police Association President Justin Harris said onstage with Trump this past Friday.

Whats less clear is what prompted the group to snub Lake and cross party lines for Gallego.

Lake competed in the GOP Senate primary against Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, calling him a total coward during a candidate forum in May. The comment earned a rebuke from some officers, who took it as a personal attack.

Lake, who claims Arizona has become the fentanyl state because Democrats ceded the border to drug cartels , has the support of other law enforcement agencies in Arizona . But the Arizona Police Association is the largest of these groups in the state. Lakes campaign did not respond to a request for comment on Gallegos endorsement.

Following Mondays endorsement, Lake accused Gallego of being weak on crime and the border. [He] supported defunding the police and vilified law enforcement while serving in Congress, she said. 

In a statement Monday , the Arizona Police Association cited Gallegos military background and his support for bipartisan bills aimed at increasing resources for local law enforcement. 

As a Marine combat veteran, we know Congressman Gallego understands the complexities of modern policing in American society today, while at the same time recognizing the publics expectations, the statement said.

Gallego, in a statement included with the associations release, said he looked forward to ensuring officers have the resources necessary to combat fentanyl trafficking, train the next generation of officers and, above all, keep Arizona families safe.

HuffPost reporter Phillip Jackson contributed reporting.