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Operation Eradication results in 56 arrest
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“The city is watching!” Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon proclaimed during a morning press conference at Phoenix Police Headquarters. Standing in support were members of the Cactus Park Community Alliance, led by Sherry Dudek, co-chair of the citizen’s group. During the past year, crime stats showed a steady increase in a small area of northwest Phoenix bounded by 27th Avenue to the east, 35th Avenue to the west, Peoria Avenue to the north, and Northern Avenue to the south.
Echoing Mayor Gordon’s remarks, Cactus Park Precinct Commander Benny Pina said, “This program is all about goin’ out and getting’ the bad guys. It is exactly what we need to clean up apartment complexes that refuse to work within the Crime Free Multi-Housing program.” The Phoenix Police Department’s Crime Analysis and Research Unit (CARU) found a 6 percent jump in overall violent and drug crimes versus a 10 percent drop citywide. The area also earned the top position for calls for service during a six month period. Operation Eradication was developed to combat the criminal activity plaguing the targeted area.
Operation Eradication was a multi-phased plan that brought together crime analysis and planning, investigation, enforcement, education, and maintenance. Knowing that Illegal drugs and violent crime go hand in hand, the department’s Drug Enforcement Bureau moved in to assist in an undercover operation focused on identifying violent offenders, career criminals, and multi-housing unit owner/operators who supported the illegal activity. Next, interdiction strategies were implemented to build cases that implicated individuals involved in illegal drug sales, trafficking in stolen property, auto theft, and burglary.
After completing a 30-day investigation, felony cases were brought against individuals involved in repeat offender criminality within the target area, resulting in 82 transactions involving 67 identified suspects. All cases were submitted to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office for prosecution. On the second day of the enforcement, 56 arrests have been made along with 87 indictments on 55 people.
Law enforcement partnerships were key to the success of the operation. In conjunction with warrant service, officers from the Phoenix Police Department’s Vice Unit, Traffic Unit, and Major Offender Bureau have and will continue to seek out individuals involved in crimes in progress. The enforcement phase of Operation Eradication will be in effect from August 27, 2009, through August 28, 2009, from 6 a.m. to midnight. The success of this operation was due to outstanding efforts by Phoenix Police in partnership with the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services, Adult Probation, County Attorney's Office, MCSO and the Department of Public Safety, Gangs and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM).