George Gascón, the man selected to be Mesa’s police chief, is Hispanic. And in a city in the midst of a tremendous demographic shift, much is being made of his heritage. But don’t make the mistake of congratulating Gascón on his status as the city’s first Hispanic chief.

Mesa officials have begun contract talks with one of Los Angeles’ top police officers as the city finalizes its search to find a police chief.

Mesa officials have begun contract talks with one of Los Angeles’ top police officers as the city finalizes its search to find a police chief.

Mesa will hold a second round of interviews this week for a new police chief as the city works to compile a list of finalists this month. The city has now had nearly 80 people apply for the top police job, and 10 of those will have been interviewed as of Wednesday.

When Frank Milstead became Mesa's police chief, he pledged not to oversee a massive shake-up to a police force that was already strained by three years of wrenching change.

Sherry Kiyler, a Phoenix Police Department commander, could be Chandler’s next police chief. "She's our first choice," acting City Manager Pat McDermott said Wednesday.

The indications from the Tribune Editorial Board’s first meeting with new Mesa Police Chief George Gascón are that he’ll be worth more than the extra $26,000 per year City Manager Chris Brady tacked onto his starting salary to get him here.

Now that Chandler's embattled police chief, Bobby Joe Harris, has retired on terms he insists are his alone, the city manager and council should seek a new chief who understands that he or she is to serve on their terms.

Mesa Police Chief Dennis Donna took a welcome — if small and tardy — step on Monday to end his department's long-standing tradition of stonewalling.

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A senior al-Qaida suspect wanted for bombing American embassies in East Africa was killed in a U.S. airstrike, a Somali official said Wednesday, a report that if true would mean the end of an eight-year hunt for a top target of Washington's war on terror.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide bombing killed the head of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council as his car waited at a checkpoint near coalition headquarters Monday, a major setback to American efforts to stabilize Iraq just six weeks before the handover of sovereignty.

Police recruiters nationwide have a new message for potential applicants. No longer is the job of being a rookie cop just about athleticism, adventure and youth.

February 8, 2005

The Scottsdale Police Department is planning a police museum to pay tribute to the city’s finest men and women in blue — actually, make that tan, the color selected to fit in with the city’s "West’s Most Western Town’’ motto.

In his 15 years in police work in Arizona, Tempe officer Stan Archer has responded to numerous calls involving Spanish-speaking residents.

Apache Junction police officers will be armed with Taser guns for the first time Monday, joining other Valley police agencies in a move toward less-lethal means of subduing suspects.

Scottsdale has found there is no manual explaining how to build a fire department.

Scottsdale has found there is no manual explaining how to build a fire department.

The Chandler Police Department has improvements to make, according to a review of the department released Monday.

NEW ORLEANS - Police Superintendent Eddie Compass resigned Tuesday after four turbulent weeks in which the police force was wracked by desertions and disorganization in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

NEW ORLEANS - Police Superintendent Eddie Compass resigned Tuesday after four turbulent weeks in which the police force was wracked by desertions and disorganization in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

U.S. special forces Wednesday raided the Baghdad home of a microbiologist nicknamed "Dr. Germ" who ran Iraq's secret biological laboratory. In the northern city of Mosul, tensions were high after anti-American unrest in which, according to U.S. Central Command, seven people were killed by U.S. troops.

An off-duty Scottsdale police officer spewed racial slurs and slugged a cab driver in an apparent drunken rage Monday, according to a Tempe police report.

Gilbert interim Police Chief Tim Dorn has been selected to lead the department on a permanent basis, following a lengthy search that wasn’t much of a search at all.