Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Thursday announced five appointments to the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board:
- Jeri Williams, Phoenix Police Chief
- David Rhodes, Yavapai County Sheriff
- Christopher Vasquez, Eloy Police Chief
- Matthew Figueroa, Coconino County Detention Services Commander
- Kevin Robinson, Arizona State University Professor
“As always, the safety of Arizonans and our communities remains a top priority,” said Governor Ducey. “It’s crucial that AZPOST members and all law enforcement personnel have the resources, training, and knowledge needed to protect Arizonans and enforce the rule of law. Today’s appointees bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Board, and I’m confident they will serve civilians and law enforcement professionals well."
The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) is composed of 13 members and stands to foster public trust and confidence by establishing and maintaining standards of integrity, competence, and professionalism for Arizona peace officers and correctional officers.
AZPOST was established in 1968 to address the need for minimum peace officer selection, recruitment, retention and training standards, and to provide curriculum and standards for all certified law enforcement training facilities. Today, it provides services to approximately 159 law enforcement agencies encompassing over 14,500 sworn peace officers, 6,500 correctional officers, and 16 police training academies.
The Governor has been meeting with community leaders to understand ways the state can continue to foster trust between law enforcement and the community. One of the recommendations was to ensure that AZPOST better reflects the diversity of the community they serve. Today's appointments reflect that recommendation and will serve the community well.
Below are details on the appointees:
Jeri Williams serves as Chief of the Phoenix Police Department. Williams began her career at Phoenix PD as a patrol officer in 1989. In 2011 she joined the City of Oxnard Police Department as Police Chief, where she stayed until 2016 when she returned to Phoenix PD in her current role.
In her role, Williams handles executive leadership and direction of personnel and resources to provide police services to the community, including patrol, investigations, tactical unit, property, records, traffic enforcement, internal affairs, crime lab, crime analysis and central booking. She oversees approximately 4,000 sworn and civilian personnel as they work daily to improve the safety of all Phoenicians.
David Rhodes serves as Sheriff of Yavapai County and has 27 years of experience in areas ranging from community policing to criminal investigations, mental health diversion, jail development, and agency executive leadership.
Rhodes was appointed to the Committee on Mental Health and the Justice System in August 2018. He also earned the Crisis Response Officer of Distinction Award - Mental Health Criminal Justice Advocacy Coalition, the ASU Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy Award, and more.
Christopher Vasquez has served as Chief of the Eloy Police Department since 2017. In this role, he is responsible for the organization and direction of more than 50 police department employees and volunteer staff, committed to serving the community of Eloy.
Vasquez also served as the Interim Chief of Police of the Casa Grande and Kearny Police Departments, among numerous other roles.
Matthew Figueroa has served as Detention Services Commander of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office since 2014. In this role, he provides administrative leadership, supervision, training and direction, and assignment of duties of Detention personnel and supervisors in the daily operations of a 596-bed facility.
Figueroa also served as associate faculty with Coconino County Community College with the ability to instruct students in the areas of Administrative Justice. He joined the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in 1996 as a detention officer.
Kevin Robinson is an instructor and lecturer for the Arizona State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice with more than 35 years of law enforcement experience. He teaches a wide range of classes including Race Ethnicity and Criminal Justice, Advanced Criminology Theory, Police Organization and Management, and more.
Robinson holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Phoenix and Master of Public Administration from Arizona State University. He also completed a Delinquency Control Institute fellowship at the University of Southern California.