9 April 18th-April 24th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | ‘Sorry this position did not work out’ When Bowman asked Spencer for an expla- nation in writing, all Spencer sent, according to Bowman’s lawsuit, was a three- sentence message that did not explain the legal reasoning and ended with, “We are sorry this position did not work out.” Bowman’s letter to the mayor and city council noted that, in the aftermath of her job offer being yanked, she would be “starting the New Year unexpectedly unem- ployed with tuition and expenses due” for her daughter’s second semester at college. The council did not respond to Bowman’s letter. Gallego released a state- ment that Bowman was “qualified” but “did not meet the criteria set forth by the council in the city code.” Four days after Bowman sent her Jan. 1 letter to the city council, Smith received an eight-page performance improvement plan from Spencer, the deputy city manager. Spencer’s document is a dressing-down that detailed areas of needed improvement and informed Smith that he needed to “know what battles are worth fighting,” “learn to be less tactless in interpersonal relations” and “ask your boss or a peer to develop a less alienating way to have your point heard.” The rebuke of Smith came just three and a half months after his September 2023 annual performance review, in which he received high marks: three “exceptional,” four “outstanding” and four “successful” ratings in different categories. For Smith, Spencer’s improvement plan and the city’s decision to rescind Bowman’s offer were the last straws. He submitted his resignation on Jan. 29. As the city of Phoenix insists its police department does not need external over- sight, all eyes are on the Justice Department’s impending report on patterns of discriminatory policing within the department. “When DOJ says what it needs to say, I think that will bring a lot of clarity to the situation,” Smith said. A bittersweet farewell Smith ended his resignation letter by signing off, “With sadness, Roger Smith.” After Smith’s departure, OAT released its first two monitoring reports on Feb. 22. One of the reports reviewed a Nov. 23, 2022, incident in which police took a Wall Street Journal reporter into custody. The other was about a Dec. 4, 2022, incident in which an officer punched an individual in the face and head multiple times while responding to a call at a Circle K. OAT concluded that the police’s admin- istrative investigations in both cases were not thorough and complete. The office also provided a range of recommendations, including conducting more follow-up interviews, not carrying out illegal searches and referring incidents to the city’s Critical Incident Review Board, which is separate from OAT. Phoenix police rejected accusations of wrongdoing in the incident. “The recommendations provided in the first two monitoring reports, released today, are insightful and valuable,” police Chief Michael Sullivan said in a written statement responding to the reports. “I am fully dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our department, and I acknowledge the vital role that OAT plays in achieving this goal.” Wilson, the city’s communications director, disputed Smith’s charges that city officials oppose civilian oversight for the police department. “The Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) has released its first two monitoring reports. The Phoenix Police Department responded with action that will be taken based on those findings. Additional monitoring reports are nearing completion,” he said. “OAT is actively moving forward with the full support of the City Manager’s office as they fulfill the mission laid out by the Phoenix City Council,” Wilson added. Smith said that despite the circum- stances that led to his resignation, he is pleased that the agency is up and running and staffed with 11 employees. Four posi- tions still need to be filled, according to Wilson. Still, Smith sees a challenging road ahead for OAT to achieve meaningful change and become the “robust, indepen- dent, civilian review of the PPD” the city claims it is. For OAT to be what it needs to be, “the community is going to have to insist. Because these people (city officials) will do nothing of their own volition,” Smith said. He added, “They don’t want civilian oversight. They want it even less than the department wants it.” Attitude Problem from p 7 Phoenix police Chief Michael Sullivan called two monitoring reports from the Office of Accountability and Transparency both “insightful and valuable.” (Photo by Matt Hennie)
