Phoenix Moves to Clear Police Public Records Backlog of Nearly 40,000 Requests With New Staff and Fees
The Phoenix City Council has approved a plan to attack the police public records backlog. The Phoenix Police Department's Public Records Bureau currently has nearly 40,000 pending requests and expects close to 140,000 requests this year, up nearly 30 percent from 2024; an accident report can now take up to six weeks, and video records more than two years.
The plan adds 10 permanent non-sworn positions, reassigns 6 employees internally and hires 19 temporary staff, with the goal of clearing the backlog within a year.
The council also approved a new public records fee schedule taking effect November 1, 2026, with increases aimed mainly at commercial requesters. Mayor Kate Gallego said the changes are meant to get residents and the media the records they are entitled to more quickly.
Source: GSM·America
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：凤凰城市区夜景。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons（Alan Stark 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0）。 / Photo: Downtown Phoenix at night, via Wikimedia Commons (photo by Alan Stark, CC BY-SA 2.0).
