TEMPE, AZ — The City of Tempe has plans to hire a consultant to independently evaluate several units inside the police department following concerns of past mismanagement, and other issues.
Tempe has posted a request for a proposal to evaluate the Technical Services Unit, Forensic Services Unit and Data Analysis within the Police Analytics Bureau.
The bidding process will be open until Thursday, according to the online posting.
A spokesperson for the city tells ABC15 they are looking to hire a consultant to evaluate all three units to ensure the units are equipped with the best tools, standards, and training.
The ABC15 Investigators have reported on two of the units: the Forensic Services Unit and the Technical Services Unit.
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In November, ABC15 reported on an internal investigation into Tempe Police Department’s Forensic Services Unit that found concerns about using expired chemicals, outdated equipment, and not having procedures while processing crime scenes, according to court records.
Earlier this year, we also reported how hundreds of new laptops for officers sat in boxes for years, according to a 2022 internal investigation into the FSU. Along with the unused new equipment, there were concerns about dated technology and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.
In March, Tempe officials confirmed that the manager overseeing those units and a history of issues inside the police department announced his retirement after two years on the job.
The City of Tempe has said that issues inside the department were under past administrations, and “Chief Kenneth McCoy has worked continuously [to] improve the Tempe Police Department since he took over last June.”
It is unclear how much a consultant will cost or how long it will take for an evaluation of these units.
