On Tuesday, Councilman Sal DiCiccio demanded Phoenix Police Chief Yahner release all information by Friday including communications, documents, emails, phone calls, texts, personal notes and comments, etc. in accordance with state law related to the consulting contract award to ASU professor Mark Whitaker. On Thursday, it was revealed that in fact “no formal contact took place with Arizona State University,” according to DiCiccio.
“It is unfortunate that the police chief waited this long after so many individuals spent countless hours trying to determine if the police command staff were telling the truth,” stated Councilman Sal DiCiccio.
Arizona State University conducted its own internal inquiry to find out who at ASU Phoenix Police may have contacted. The city manager also went so far as to request the city auditor to begin an inquiry into who within police command contacted ASU.
“More taxpayer monies were wasted and the public’s confidence has been eroded because the police department refused to acknowledge they misled the public and the council,” said DiCiccio.
The Council approved a retroactive sole-source contract with the Whitaker Group, LLC on May 13, 2015. Whitaker cancelled the contract on Tuesday