Police Executive Staff Biographies

Executive Assistant Chief Derek Elmore has worked for the City of Phoenix Police Department for more than 30 years. His law enforcement career started in 1992. He has progressively achieved promotions since reaching the rank of sergeant in 2006. This is attributed to a focus on his own continuous improvement and professional growth in an effort to provide quality service to Phoenix residents. He has held assignments in both Patrol Divisions (North and South), eight bureaus, managed two appointments to the Office of Administration (Chief's Office), and served as a Commander over the Maryvale/Estrella Mountain Precinct which has maintained a historically higher volume of calls for service and violent crime than all other precincts. Throughout the years, Chief Elmore has been responsible for handling assignments that involve major crime scenes, investigations, personnel issues, officer training, community outreach, and public speaking. He has honed a talent for refining critical operations by leading the Department through key projects, such as reframing staff within the Domestic Violence Unit to focus on primary offenders, and restoring the Tactical Review Committee, which is responsible for reviewing critical incidents and identifying operational trends. He achieved the rank of Executive Assistant Chief in December of 2022 and now manages the Operations Section for the Office of Administration. He is responsible for oversight of the Patrol Division, Investigations Division, Strategic & Tactical Services Division, and Reserve Division, which govern emergency response and victim support. Chief Elmore obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Claremont McKenna College in 1989 and has taught college level Criminal Justice courses. He enjoys mentoring staff across ranks in his pursuit to help others reach their career goals. In addition to his work within public safety, he is also active with youth sports in the Phoenix area, which includes coaching track and field and basketball teams.

Chief of Staff Jennifer LaRoque (Jen) began her career with the City of Phoenix Police Department in 1991. During her 28 years on the Department Jen served in many capacities as she made her way through the ranks. Jen worked in the Desert Horizon Precinct, South Mountain Precinct, Walking Beat/Tactical Response Unit, Central City Precinct, Cactus Park Precinct, Quick Response Team, Violent Crimes Bureau, Employment Services Bureau, Police Legal Unit, and the Training Bureau. In 2002, Jen took a brief leave of absence to attend her first year of law school out of state. She returned to the Department and took a spot on the third shift patrol squad, while also attending law school full time at ASU. She graduated with a Juris Doctorate in Law and passed the bar exam. In December 2019, Jen retired from the department with her last assignment as Commander over the Training Bureau. Following her retirement, Jen went to work as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arizona, in the Licensing and Enforcement Unit, litigating AZPOST de-certifications cases. From there, Jen went to the City of Surprise Police Department working as a Police Legal Advisor, before returning to the City of Phoenix as an Assistant City Attorney with the Law Department. Currently, Jen serves as the Chief of Staff for the Police Chief, where she oversees the City Manager Liaison Commander, the Office of Administration, and Special Projects. Jen, (a teacher's kid), was raised in Columbia Falls, Montana (go Grizzlies) with her three brothers, playing basketball, snow skiing, rock climbing, running, and camping in Glacier National Park. Jen has a bachelor's degree in business management, and a Juris Doctorate in Law. During her career, she received a Medal of Merit, and two Medals of Lifesaving.

Assistant Chief Ed DeCastro has proudly served with the Phoenix Police Department for 23 years. Throughout his career he held numerous positions and ranks within the organization. Chief DeCastro has been a strong supporter of community-based policing and has remained committed to partnership building with the citizens of Phoenix.  Assistant Chief DeCastro has served in multiple ranks in the Maryvale-Estrella Mountain, Central City, and South Mountain Precincts, to include patrol, the Walking Beat Squad, and the Neighborhood Enforcement Team. He later led the Assaults and Homicide Units in the Violent Crimes Bureau as their Lieutenant. He promoted to Commander in January 2017 and has served in the Maryvale/Estrella Mountain Precinct, the Violent Crimes Bureau, the City Manager's Office Liaison, the Training Bureau, and the Family Investigations Bureau. In November 2023, he promoted to Assistant Chief of the Investigations Division.  Assistant Chief DeCastro was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education from Florida State University and his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree from Grand Canyon University. Prior to his law enforcement career, he was a middle school math teacher in the very same precinct he started working after the graduating the academy. He has also been the recipient of numerous Department awards and commendations, to include the Distinguished Service Award and the Police Chief's Unit Award.  

Assistant Chief Sean Kennedy is an Arizona native who is a 25-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department. During his career, he held assignments in the South Mountain Precinct, Maryvale Precinct, Cactus Park Precinct, Desert Horizon Precinct, the Tactical Support Bureau, and the Violent Crimes Bureau. In these assignments he held positions in Field Training, Investigations, Precinct Resource Teams involved in problem-oriented crime reduction strategies, and in Tactical Operations. In 2017, he was promoted to Commander and served over the Violent Crimes Bureau and Tactical Support Bureau. He has been the recipient of numerous commendations and awards including the Police Chief's Unit Award, Distinguished Service Award, Community Based Policing Award, and Crime Suppression Award. Assistant Chief Kennedy earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from the University of Arizona and his Master of Organizational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Criminal Justice Administration from Northern Arizona University.   

Assistant Chief Nicholas DiPonzio is a 26-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department. During his career he has demonstrated a commitment to innovating crime reduction strategies and utilizing intelligence led policing with a focus on community engagement and partnership. Assistant Chief DiPonzio currently leads the Strategic & Tactical Services Division which encompasses the Tactical Support Bureau, Airport Bureau, Homeland Defense Bureau and the Traffic Bureau. Throughout his career, DiPonzio has held assignments in the Mountain View, South Mountain, Maryvale-Estrella Mountain, gad Cactus Park Precincts, along with assignments in the Organized Crime, Violent Crimes, Drug Enforcement and Family Investigations Bureaus. In 2019, Assistant Chief DiPonzio was promoted to Commander and held assignments in the South Mountain Precinct and as both Day and Night Shift Watch Commander. Assistant Chief DiPonzio earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Ottawa University and his Master of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. He has been the recipient of numerous commendations and awards including the Police Chiefs Unit Award, Distinguished Service Award and the Medal of Valor.

Assistant Chief Jeffrey Benza has worked for the Phoenix community for 26 years. He served as a patrol officer in the Mountain View Precinct. He later investigated crimes as a detective in the Family Investigations Bureau and the Violent Crimes Bureau. In 2007, he promoted to sergeant working out of the Desert Horizon and Mountain View Precincts. Assistant Chief Benza moved to the Employment Services Bureau where he supervised hiring, wellness, cadets, polygraph, and the Department's volunteer program. In 2015, he promoted to lieutenant where he served in the Black Mountain Precinct and the Central City Precinct. After leaving patrol, Assistant Chief Benza transferred to the Family Investigations Bureau supervising detectives and sergeants in the following units, Adult Sex Crimes, Sex Offender Notifications, Internet Crimes Against Children, and Crimes Against Children. In 2019, Assistant Chief Benza handled administrative investigations for the Professional Standards Bureau. He then assumed a leadership role in 2020 with the Homeland Defense Bureau serving as the Operations Chief for large scale events which required a multidisciplinary approach. His final assignment as a lieutenant was supervising the employees of the Wellness Bureau. In 2023, Assistant Chief Benza was promoted to the rank of commander and served as the Police Chief's Liaison in the City Manager's Office. In this role he served as a conduit for information and coordination for quality-of-life issues facing the community. In 2024, he was assigned to the executive leadership team as an Assistant Chief assuming oversight over the Administrative, Organizational, and Professional Development Division. Assistant Chief Benza was born in Parma, Ohio, but was raised in Mesa, Arizona. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Management from the University of Arizona (BEAR DOWN) and his Master of Science in Health, Physical Education, and Leisure at Oklahoma State University (Go Pokes). Assistant Chief Benza is married to an educator and has two children. He is passionate about helping his team remove barriers to solutions. Assistant Chief Benza realizes the benefit of strong relationships to find solutions to the many complex problems in America's fifth largest city. Throughout his career, his efforts have been recognized by the community and the co-workers through multiple commendations and awards. 

Assistant Chief Joseph Kilma has served the citizens of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department for 42 years. He spent 35 years as a career member of the Police Department, working various patrol and operational assignments. He has focused his career on creative, collaborative, and community-based problem solving in addressing crime and quality of life issues. Early in his career he worked on reducing impaired driving while in the Traffic Bureau and on special assignment to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. There he partnered with groups such as SADD and MADD. He led the City-wide curfew program, and directed Operation Safe Streets, a summertime violent crime reduction effort as the Gang Enforcement Unit Lieutenant.  In 1999, Assistant Chief Klima was promoted to precinct commander working alongside community members through programs such as the Violent Impact Project and Shannon's Law enforcement. As the commander in the Violent Crimes Bureau, he helped implement the Home Invasion Kidnapping Enforcement Task Force and provided management oversight in the Goudeau and Serial Shooter murder investigations. These investigations required collaboration with numerous local, state and federal partners. Other command positions he served in included the Traffic Bureau, Downtown Operations Bureau, Drug Enforcement Bureau, and the City Manager's Office. In November 2015 he retired from his career position and began his service as the volunteer commander in the Reserve Division. In March of 2022 he was promoted to Assistant Chief and leads the Department's Reserve Division. Assistant Chief Klima has a degree in Business Administration. He completed Arizona State University's Certified Public Manager and Executive Management Leadership Training programs. His performance has been recognized throughout his career with the Police Chief's Unit Awards, Distinguished Service Award, City Manager's Award of Excellence, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Webber Seavey Award in Innovating Policing, US Attorney's Office, Arizona District's Collaboration in Law Enforcement Award and the FBI's Community Service Award. 

Jody Wolf is an accomplished leader and forensic science expert with over 20 years of progressive experience in law enforcement, forensic science administration, and police department operations. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Technical Services Division at the Phoenix Police Department. Jody is responsible for managing a broad range of operations, including the Laboratory Services Bureau, Public Records and Services Bureau, Strategic Information Bureau, Communications Bureau, and the Fiscal Management Bureau overseeing a team of approximately 750 employees across various bureaus with a departmental budget approaching $1 billion. Previously, Jody served as the first Chief of Staff in the history of the Phoenix Police Department leading the Office of Administration, the Public Affairs Bureau, the Fiscal Management Bureau, and Special Projects including the construction of a new police department headquarters and legislative affairs. Prior to joining the Department's executive team, Jody served as the Crime Laboratory Administrator for the Department's internationally accredited forensic laboratory, overseeing a staff of 160 and ensuring compliance with the highest standards of forensic science. Her leadership also extended grant management, securing over $15 million in funding for forensic initiatives, and she played a pivotal role in developing influential collaborative projects, such as the Maricopa County Sexual Assault Protocol and the Phoenix Police Department's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). Jody has been actively involved in shaping forensic standards through her participation in key committees, including the ANSI accredited United States Technical Advisory Group to ISO Technical Committee 272 (ISO/TC 272) on Forensic Science, the National Institute of Justice's Forensic Laboratory Needs Technical Working Group, and the FBI's Rapid DNA Working Group. She has also served in leadership roles across the forensic community including President of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), the President of the International Forensic Strategic Alliance (IFSA), and the Chair of the Arizona Forensic Science Academy. Jody is also a frequent presenter and the author of numerous science publications, focusing on leadership, quality management, and forensic standards.  Jody's contributions to the field of forensic science have earned her recognition both nationally and internationally, including the ASCLD Briggs J. White Award for Excellence in Forensic Leadership in 2023, the Phoenix Police Department's Police Chief's Unit Award, and the Phoenix Police Foundation's Elevating Women in Law Enforcement in 2021. Additionally, Jody has contributed to groundbreaking forensic publications and has served as an expert witness in both U.S. Congressional hearings and state-level proceedings. Jody remains a respected leader in the forensic community, driving innovation and best practices within the Phoenix Police Department and the broader field of forensic science. Jody holds a master's degree in business administration, with an emphasis in technology management from the University of Phoenix, a master's degree in chemistry from Arizona State University, and a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from Regis University, graduating magna cum laude.