POLICE BOOKS - Jacquelyn MacConnell

About the Phoenix Police Department

Phoenix was incorporated as a city on February 25, 1881. Law enforcement was handled by Phoenix city marshals and later by Phoenix police officers. Henry Garfias, the first city marshal, was elected by residents in 1881 in the first elections of the newly incorporated city. For six years, he served as the primary law enforcement officer.

In the early 1900's, the Phoenix Police Department used Old Nelly, the horse, to pull the patrol wagon for officers. Most patrolling, however, was done on foot. The city at this time was only 3.1 square miles with a population of 11,134 people.

Call boxes were used to notify an officer that headquarters wanted him. These were supplemented by a system of horns and flashing lights

The first Phoenix police officer killed in the line of duty in Phoenix occurred on February 5, 1925. Officer Haze Burch was shot and killed by two brothers on the run from authorities. The men were later arrested when they were found hiding at the Tempe Buttes.

In 1929, patrolmen worked six days a week and were paid $100 a month. The police department moved into the west section of the new city-county building at 17 South 2nd Avenue. The building included jail cells on the top two floors.

In 1933, Ruth Meicher joined the police department as the first female jail matron. The city at this time was only 6.4 square miles, with a population of 48,200. In the year prior, the first police radio system in Arizona was installed for the department with the call letters KGZJ.

The department reorganized in 1950 with four divisions, Traffic, Detectives, Patrol and the Service Divisions. Officers worked 44 hours per week for $288 per month.

In 1974, the Air patrol unit was established initially consisting of one helicopter. A few months later, a fixed wing aircraft and two additional helicopters were added.

Today, the Phoenix Police Department provides law enforcement to 1.2 million Phoenix residents encompassing an area of more than 469 square miles. To accomplish this, the department employs approximately 2,600 police officers and detectives and more than 700 civilian support staff personnel.

Source:

phoenix.gov/police/histor1.html

Lieutenant Jacquelyn MacConnell joined the Phoenix Police Department in 1994. During her career she worked as a patrol officer, undercover detective and in the Phoenix Police Department Training Bureau. While assigned to the Training Bureau, in addition to teaching tactical courses, she initiated a Spanish language program for police officers. After leaving the Training Bureau, she became a detective working in the Sex Crimes Unit. Currently, Lieutenant Jacquelyn MacConnell supervises patrol squads Maryvale Precinct of the Phoenix Police Department.

Lieutenant Jacquelyn MacConnell completed the Arizona POST General Instructor Course in 1996. She is also an Arizona POST certified Defensive Tactics, Firearms, High Risk Vehicle Stops, and Spanish Instructor; and holds other instructor certifications. She is a regular instructor at the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy, specializing in Defensive Tactics and Spanish. Lieutenant Jacquelyn MacConnell has an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and Masters in Educational Leadership.

Lieutenant Jacquelyn MacConnell is the author of Basic Spanish For Police Officers By A Police Officer. According to her book description, “The author is not a Spanish professor but wrote this book focusing on terminology that will be understood on the street. The book contains closed ended questions for a variety of investigations including assault/domestic violence, robbery, stolen vehicles, burglary, drug possession/sales cases, traffic stops, traffic accidents. The most important part of this book is the high risk stop/contact commands. This book is written for the officers who have little to no understanding/knowledge of the Spanish language, as well as offering information to those who do have a basic understanding/knowledge of Spanish. It is the author's desire that this book allow officers to conduct their jobs safer.”