Thursday, June 11, 2020
As protesters across the world demand justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and other Black people who were murdered by police, calls for disbanding law enforcement have gained unprecedented support.
Widespread conversations about whether law enforcement actually keeps communities safe are ongoing, with a focus on the institutional racism that is tied to the policing profession. Black people in America are five times more likely to be arrested and incarcerated than white people.
Black men are also more than twice as likely to be killed by police than white men.
Many believe that police department budgets have become bloated over the past few years, and that money could be better used to address the underlying causes of crime. Members of this movement want to see a more proactive approach rather than the reactive practice of responding to crime with government-funded force.
Tucson Police Department Chief Chris Magnus is doing his best to separate his department from others across the country who have been exposed as perpetrators of police brutality. He claims (and Tucson City Council members agree) that his police department is one of the most progressive in the country.
At this week’s study session, Magnus gave a summary of how they have been working on these issues for years. He said the department’s use of force protocol is modeled after the PERF 30 Guiding Principles on Use of Force and incorporates guidelines from Campaign Zero and President Barack Obama’s 21st Century Policing Report.
“I think our use of force guidelines are some of the best you will find,” Magnus told the council.
He said all officers have participated in de-escalation, crisis intervention, implicit bias and cultural awareness training, and all officers wear body cameras. TPD adopted the “8 Can’t Wait” guidelines that ban chokeholds, require de-escalations and warnings before firing a weapon, among other things.
Magnus has been asked about what went wrong in Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer on May 25. He said it’s interesting because Minneapolis has had a series of “very progressive” police chiefs and have put all the right policies in place. They even have a lot of the same policies as TPD.
He argued that Floyd’s murder happened because the Minneapolis Police Department’s leadership-level philosophies were never instilled in each officer due to a lack of supervision.
“Our supervisors and commanders really understand that they are expected to help us develop that healthy organizational culture,” Magnus said.
Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus: “I think our use of force guidelines are some of the best you will find."
Black men are also more than twice as likely to be killed by police than white men.
Many believe that police department budgets have become bloated over the past few years, and that money could be better used to address the underlying causes of crime. Members of this movement want to see a more proactive approach rather than the reactive practice of responding to crime with government-funded force.
Tucson Police Department Chief Chris Magnus is doing his best to separate his department from others across the country who have been exposed as perpetrators of police brutality. He claims (and Tucson City Council members agree) that his police department is one of the most progressive in the country.
At this week’s study session, Magnus gave a summary of how they have been working on these issues for years. He said the department’s use of force protocol is modeled after the PERF 30 Guiding Principles on Use of Force and incorporates guidelines from Campaign Zero and President Barack Obama’s 21st Century Policing Report.
“I think our use of force guidelines are some of the best you will find,” Magnus told the council.
He said all officers have participated in de-escalation, crisis intervention, implicit bias and cultural awareness training, and all officers wear body cameras. TPD adopted the “8 Can’t Wait” guidelines that ban chokeholds, require de-escalations and warnings before firing a weapon, among other things.
Magnus has been asked about what went wrong in Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer on May 25. He said it’s interesting because Minneapolis has had a series of “very progressive” police chiefs and have put all the right policies in place. They even have a lot of the same policies as TPD.
He argued that Floyd’s murder happened because the Minneapolis Police Department’s leadership-level philosophies were never instilled in each officer due to a lack of supervision.
“Our supervisors and commanders really understand that they are expected to help us develop that healthy organizational culture,” Magnus said.
After the Pima County Sheriff's Department ordered several neighborhoods in the Catalina Foothills to evacuate due to the encroaching Bighorn Fire, U-Haul announced they are offering 30 days of free self-storage and container usage to impacted residents.
They are offering these free services at six locations throughout the greater Tucson area.
“As the Bighorn Fire continues to spread, people are now having to leave their homes and may need a secure facility to store their valued belongings,” said Billy Longenbaugh, U-Haul's Southern Arizona president. “We want our neighbors and the City of Tucson to know that we’re here to help. Any displaced families needing free self-storage for one month can make use of our disaster relief program.”
The participating locations are:
U-Haul Moving & Storage of Marana
7701 N. I-10 EB Frontage Road
Marana, AZ 85743
(520) 293-1627
U-Haul Moving & Storage at Automall
4655 N. Oracle Road
Tucson, AZ 85705
(520) 575-5373
U-Haul Moving & Storage at East Speedway
5533 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85712
(520) 575-5376
3555 E. Grant Road
Tucson, AZ 85716
(520) 575-5364
U-Haul Moving & Storage at Ina Road
4040 W. Ina Road
Tucson, AZ 85741
(520) 575-5380
U-Haul Moving & Storage of Downtown Tucson
450 N. Freeway
Tucson, AZ 85745
(520) 777-9159
WASHINGTON – The brother of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests, told a somber House committee Wednesday that he hopes his testimony can bring changes so that Floyd’s “death will not be in vain.”
“People have come together to make change,” said Philonise Floyd, the lead witness in a daylong hearing by the House Judiciary Committee on police practices and accountability.
That hearing also included testimony from the widow of a police officer who was shot and killed during an Oakland protest, civil rights advocates, lawyers and criminal justice experts.
The hearing came two weeks after the release of videos that showed Minneapolis police officers kneeling on George Floyd for almost 9 minutes, with one officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck despite his repeated pleas that he could not breathe.
Floyd’s death sparked days of protests around the country and the world, with protesters taking up “I can’t breathe” and “defund the police” as a rallying cry.
Philonise Floyd, testifying one day after his brother’s funeral, was mostly composed and the mood at the hearing was respectful. But while lawmakers agreed on the need for reform they disagreed on how to get there.
“People have come together to make change,” said Philonise Floyd, the lead witness in a daylong hearing by the House Judiciary Committee on police practices and accountability.
That hearing also included testimony from the widow of a police officer who was shot and killed during an Oakland protest, civil rights advocates, lawyers and criminal justice experts.
The hearing came two weeks after the release of videos that showed Minneapolis police officers kneeling on George Floyd for almost 9 minutes, with one officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck despite his repeated pleas that he could not breathe.
Floyd’s death sparked days of protests around the country and the world, with protesters taking up “I can’t breathe” and “defund the police” as a rallying cry.
Philonise Floyd, testifying one day after his brother’s funeral, was mostly composed and the mood at the hearing was respectful. But while lawmakers agreed on the need for reform they disagreed on how to get there.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors has taken several steps in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Pima County, including voting on March 19 to close down all nonessential businesses, and later when the state reopened the economy, voting to implement and then revise new health regulations for restaurants and bars offering dine-in service once again.
The board’s decisions have been met with some criticism across the political spectrum, with some critics saying the county has not done enough and others saying it has gone too far, according to Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.
Democratic supervisors Ramon Valadez, Sharon Bronson and Betty Villegas said they voted for the regulations to ensure public safety, while Republicans Steve Christy and Ally Miller say the new rules make it harder for beleaguered businesses to reopen. At the request of three GOP lawmakers, Attorney General Mark Brnovich investigated whether the county exceeded its legal authority by enacting the regulations but the AG’s Office dismissed the case on a legal technicality.
Tucson Weekly asked the candidates running for Board of Supervisors seats this year if they approved of those decisions and if they would have done anything differently.
In Pima County’s District 1, which includes Marana, Oro Valley, Casas Adobes and the Catalina Foothills, Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller is retiring. There’s a four-way GOP primary and a two-way Democratic primary for the open seat.
The Republicans include: Oro Valley Councilmember Rhonda Piña, former state lawmaker Vic Williams, former Pima County Republican Party Chair Bill Beard and political newcomer Steve Spain, who has worked developing technology for hotels.
All of the Republican candidates were critical of the county’s emergency regulations.
Beard, who has been critical of efforts to combat the outbreak by requiring businesses to shut down, condemned the board’s actions.
The board’s decisions have been met with some criticism across the political spectrum, with some critics saying the county has not done enough and others saying it has gone too far, according to Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.
Democratic supervisors Ramon Valadez, Sharon Bronson and Betty Villegas said they voted for the regulations to ensure public safety, while Republicans Steve Christy and Ally Miller say the new rules make it harder for beleaguered businesses to reopen. At the request of three GOP lawmakers, Attorney General Mark Brnovich investigated whether the county exceeded its legal authority by enacting the regulations but the AG’s Office dismissed the case on a legal technicality.
Tucson Weekly asked the candidates running for Board of Supervisors seats this year if they approved of those decisions and if they would have done anything differently.
In Pima County’s District 1, which includes Marana, Oro Valley, Casas Adobes and the Catalina Foothills, Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller is retiring. There’s a four-way GOP primary and a two-way Democratic primary for the open seat.
The Republicans include: Oro Valley Councilmember Rhonda Piña, former state lawmaker Vic Williams, former Pima County Republican Party Chair Bill Beard and political newcomer Steve Spain, who has worked developing technology for hotels.
All of the Republican candidates were critical of the county’s emergency regulations.
Beard, who has been critical of efforts to combat the outbreak by requiring businesses to shut down, condemned the board’s actions.
Keep the party rolling at The Gaslight Music Hall, where the show has moved into the parking lot over the last few weeks after founder Tony Terry launched his newest production: The drive-in concert series.
Next up is Bluegrass Night with The Sonoran Dogs, Funky Grooves with OnesAll Band and Blues Night with The Porch Rockers, which takes place next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, respectively.
The Sonoran Dogs, which play Tuesday, June 16, formed in 2011. Since then, they’ve toured across the Southwestern United States, and even as far as Melbourne, Australia. According to the group’s bio, The "Dogs" are made up of seasoned veterans “who have come together to enjoy bluegrass music and friendship, oftentimes adding one or more ‘strays’ on fiddle, dobro, and even accordion.”
The group’s expertise is on display no matter what they play, which includes improvising and original songs spanning traditional and contemporary music as well as an eclectic mix of Bluegrass, Folk, Americana, Celtic, and Newgrass.
Next up is Bluegrass Night with The Sonoran Dogs, Funky Grooves with OnesAll Band and Blues Night with The Porch Rockers, which takes place next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, respectively.
The Sonoran Dogs, which play Tuesday, June 16, formed in 2011. Since then, they’ve toured across the Southwestern United States, and even as far as Melbourne, Australia. According to the group’s bio, The "Dogs" are made up of seasoned veterans “who have come together to enjoy bluegrass music and friendship, oftentimes adding one or more ‘strays’ on fiddle, dobro, and even accordion.”
The group’s expertise is on display no matter what they play, which includes improvising and original songs spanning traditional and contemporary music as well as an eclectic mix of Bluegrass, Folk, Americana, Celtic, and Newgrass.
Residents evacuating their homes on Tucson’s north side due to the Bighorn Fire can find refuge for their pets at the Pima Animal Care Center, the shelter announced Thursday morning.
“When you are in the middle of an emergency it can be overwhelming to figure out the best way to take care of your family and pets,” said Director of Animal Services Kristen Hassen, in a press release. “We want to put folks at ease by helping them with their pets so that they can focus on other things like taking care of the humans in their family.”
Anyone who needs to make arrangements for their furry friends can call PACC at (520) 724-5961. Room will be made in the facility’s kennels, which has space available due to a high number of fosters.
“Pets are family,” Hassen said. “The shelter is already working hard to make sure these evacuated pets get plenty of enrichment while in our care.”
Residents can bring their dogs, cats, birds, gerbils, hamsters and more. PACC is also working with the Pima County Fairgrounds for additional space. Those with livestock may contact Martina Gonzales at the Rillito Racetrack at (520) 419-2369.
For information about the Bighorn Fire, click here.
“When you are in the middle of an emergency it can be overwhelming to figure out the best way to take care of your family and pets,” said Director of Animal Services Kristen Hassen, in a press release. “We want to put folks at ease by helping them with their pets so that they can focus on other things like taking care of the humans in their family.”
Anyone who needs to make arrangements for their furry friends can call PACC at (520) 724-5961. Room will be made in the facility’s kennels, which has space available due to a high number of fosters.
“Pets are family,” Hassen said. “The shelter is already working hard to make sure these evacuated pets get plenty of enrichment while in our care.”
Residents can bring their dogs, cats, birds, gerbils, hamsters and more. PACC is also working with the Pima County Fairgrounds for additional space. Those with livestock may contact Martina Gonzales at the Rillito Racetrack at (520) 419-2369.
For information about the Bighorn Fire, click here.
There's an important safety tip missing from this safety tip from Gov. Doug Ducey: He's still not encouraging people to wear masks when they're out in public, despite Arizona's soaring positive COVID-19 tests and the advice of medical professionals. It's past time to set an example here, Gov. Ducey. Why the reluctance?We all play a role in protecting public health and safety.
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) June 9, 2020
Wash your hands✔️ Stay home when you are sick✔️ Disinfect frequently touched surfaces✔️ pic.twitter.com/wsdKZfE5D0
UPDATE
The Pima County Office of Emergency Management and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have expanded their order: Residents of the Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, north of Skyline Drive, should "be alert" for potential evacuation notices.
The Pima County Office of Emergency Management and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have expanded their order: Residents of the Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, north of Skyline Drive, should "be alert" for potential evacuation notices.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department has issued an evacuation order for certain Foothills neighborhoods currently threatened by the ongoing Bighorn Fire: Homes north of Ina Road between Alvernon Way and First Avenue are now being evacuated.
If you are in this area, EVACUATE NOW. Move south away from the Catalina Mountains. Do not delay leaving the area. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department will be going door to door to make contact with those affected residents who may not have received the message. A cooling shelter is available at CDO High School, 25 W. Calle Concordia, in Oro Valley.
The Oro Valley Police Department also posted a notification for residents on the western slope of the Catalina Mountains, near Pusch Ridge: Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
The southeastern region of Oro Valley, from West Magee Road to Catalina State Park on the east side of North Oracle Road, is now in the “Set - Be Alert” stage.
“Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating,” the department stated in its warning. “Grab your emergency go kit. Keep in mind unique needs for your family or special equipment for pets and livestock.”
The 3,300-acre Bighorn Fire formed in the Catalina Mountains on June 5 as a result of lightning storms and has since burned across the Pusch Ridge Wilderness and Pima Canyon area. According to the National Forest Service, it is now established in the upper half of Finger Rock Canyon and has been burning actively.
Fire crews remind the public that drones are prohibited over the fire area, as firefighting aircraft are busy and must be grounded in drones' presence. According to the National Forest Service, on June 8, a drone was observed over the Bighorn Fire’s southern perimeter, which "forced the aircraft suppression effort to be halted, endangering the lives of on the ground firefighters and the aircrews at a critical time during the height of the burning period." This is the second such incident in three days.
The southeastern region of Oro Valley, from West Magee Road to Catalina State Park on the east side of North Oracle Road, is now in the “Set - Be Alert” stage.
“Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating,” the department stated in its warning. “Grab your emergency go kit. Keep in mind unique needs for your family or special equipment for pets and livestock.”
The 3,300-acre Bighorn Fire formed in the Catalina Mountains on June 5 as a result of lightning storms and has since burned across the Pusch Ridge Wilderness and Pima Canyon area. According to the National Forest Service, it is now established in the upper half of Finger Rock Canyon and has been burning actively.
Fire crews remind the public that drones are prohibited over the fire area, as firefighting aircraft are busy and must be grounded in drones' presence. According to the National Forest Service, on June 8, a drone was observed over the Bighorn Fire’s southern perimeter, which "forced the aircraft suppression effort to be halted, endangering the lives of on the ground firefighters and the aircrews at a critical time during the height of the burning period." This is the second such incident in three days.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has announced the ongoing Bighorn Fire poses "significant danger" to the Catalina Foothills area. The state's Ready, Set, Go evacuation alert system has been activated, and the area of the Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and 1st Avenue, North of Ina Road is now in the "be alert" stage. PCSD says residents should consider voluntarily relocating outside the affected area.
The 3,300-acre Bighorn Fire formed in the Catalina Mountains on June 5 as a result of lightning storms and has since burned across the Pusch Ridge Wilderness and Pima Canyon area. According to the National Forest Service, it is now established in the upper half of Finger Rock Canyon and has been burning actively. They anticipate it to move slowly down-slope in a southwesterly direction toward the Catalina Foothills.
Fire crews remind the public that drones are prohibited over the fire area, as firefighting aircraft are busy and must be grounded in drones' presence. According to the National Forest Service, on June 8, a drone was observed over the Bighorn Fire’s southern perimeter, which "forced the aircraft suppression effort to be halted, endangering the lives of on the ground firefighters and the aircrews at a critical time during the height of the burning period." This is the second such incident in three days.
Stay informed on the County’s emergency alerts website: emergencyalerts.pima.gov
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona surpassed 31,000 as of Thursday, June 11, with another jump of 1,412 new cases reported this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Pima County had 3,479 of the state's 31,264 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,127 people have died after contracting the virus, including 218 in Pima County, according to the report.
In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hit 16,018.
Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people, especially if you have underlying health conditions, and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.
Arizona hospitals continue to see a rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID symptoms, as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 1,291 Arizonans were hospitalized. There are 429 COVID patients in ICU units and 848 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 10, according to the report.
When Ducey lifted Arizona's stay-at-home order on May 16, he noted that CDC gating criteria included two weeks of falling cases or two weeks decreasing positive cases as a percentage of total tests. Total cases continue to rise, as does the number of positive cases as a percentage of total tests. On May 17, the percentage of positive tests to total tests was 6 percent; on May 24, it was 9 percent; on May 31, it was 12 percent, according to figure on the ADHS website.
At a June 4 press conference, Ducey said he and Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ anticipated the current increase in positive COVID-19 cases because testing has “dramatically increased” within the state. Christ downplayed the alarm about the recent increase in cases, which some have attributed to the end of the stay-at-home order on May 15, saying “as people come back together, we know there will be transmissions of COVID-19.”
While they admitted new cases are to be expected when people begin to interact again, Ducey and Christ said their main focus was to ensure that hospitals had the capacity for an increase in cases. They reported that the current use of hospital beds, ICU beds, and ventilators were all within capacity last week.
“The fact that we were going to focus on having more tests means we were going to have more cases,” Ducey said. “We anticipated that. What we wanted to do was to be prepared for this.”
But Banner Health officials warned last week that unless current trends changed, they would have to activate a reserve bed plan as their ICU beds were nearly full.
In other news:
Pima County had 3,479 of the state's 31,264 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,127 people have died after contracting the virus, including 218 in Pima County, according to the report.
In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hit 16,018.
Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people, especially if you have underlying health conditions, and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.
Arizona hospitals continue to see a rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID symptoms, as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 1,291 Arizonans were hospitalized. There are 429 COVID patients in ICU units and 848 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 10, according to the report.
When Ducey lifted Arizona's stay-at-home order on May 16, he noted that CDC gating criteria included two weeks of falling cases or two weeks decreasing positive cases as a percentage of total tests. Total cases continue to rise, as does the number of positive cases as a percentage of total tests. On May 17, the percentage of positive tests to total tests was 6 percent; on May 24, it was 9 percent; on May 31, it was 12 percent, according to figure on the ADHS website.
At a June 4 press conference, Ducey said he and Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ anticipated the current increase in positive COVID-19 cases because testing has “dramatically increased” within the state. Christ downplayed the alarm about the recent increase in cases, which some have attributed to the end of the stay-at-home order on May 15, saying “as people come back together, we know there will be transmissions of COVID-19.”
While they admitted new cases are to be expected when people begin to interact again, Ducey and Christ said their main focus was to ensure that hospitals had the capacity for an increase in cases. They reported that the current use of hospital beds, ICU beds, and ventilators were all within capacity last week.
“The fact that we were going to focus on having more tests means we were going to have more cases,” Ducey said. “We anticipated that. What we wanted to do was to be prepared for this.”
But Banner Health officials warned last week that unless current trends changed, they would have to activate a reserve bed plan as their ICU beds were nearly full.
In other news:
