Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 173

-t i if i a 9 f. New commander assigned to Mountain View Precinct CLOSING FOREVER! Home Furnishings LIQUIDATION ABOUT MOUNTAIN VIEW GLEN GARDNER Gardner's wife and mother are both from Mexico. Gardner was born in Salisbury, but as a child lived in several countries, including Mexico and Venezuela. He moved to Phoenix from Florida in 1 988 to become a police officer. He lives with his family in northeast Phoenix.

He has served the Phoenix Police Department for 23 years. Before his assignment to the Mountain View Precinct, Gardner served as duty commander for South Patrol, had a stint in the department's Traffic Bureau, worked as a school resource officer, and in planning and research. MEET THE COMMANDER Open house, 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 5, Mountain View Precinct, 2075 E. Maryland Ave.

Details: 602-495-5007. Coffee With a Cop, 8 to 9 a.m. July 6, Maizie's Cafe, 4750 N. Central Ave. Details: 602-495-5007.

LQ (BEES mm By Sadie Jo Smokey The Republic azcentral.com After more than a year overseeing officers working late evening to sunrise, police Cmdr. Glen Gardner is looking forward to working family-friendly hours. The new boss at central and east Phoenix's Mountain View Precinct takes over July 11 as part of a regular staff rotation. The 23-year veteran worked more than a year as duty commander, a position which gave him full authority over the Police Department after 5 p.m. Gardner, who lives in Desert Ridge, said this is his first time working in the 700 Precinct, as it's commonly known, which covers an area from Interstate 17 to the eastern city limits and Bethany Home Road to Interstate 10.

The precinct encompasses a majority of the city's historic districts, densely populated, low-income apartment complexes, the eastern half of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, and the wealthier Biltmore and Arcadia neighborhoods. The precinct's headquarters is at 2075 E. Maryland Ave. "I requested this precinct because of its very wide range of issues," Gardner said. "That makes, the job interesting." Cmdr.

Allen Smith, who won favor with neighborhood leaders in the precinct for his advocacy of community-based policing that calls for officers to build trust with the public, is moving to headquarters to oversee administrative projects. One of Smith's duties will be getting community input on the Berkshire review. In May, Berkshire Advisors Inc. shared its innovation and efficiency review of the Police Department with the City Council. The consultants' report suggested radical cuts in the Phoenix Police Department, such as eliminating 714 sworn positions.

"We will all work with the community to get citizen involvement and input," Smith said. "We'll look at what works and what doesn't. My priority is addressing the audit recommendations. We can't do that without community outreach." Smith said he'll miss going out on patrol and being around officers who are "doing the work." Gardner began his career patroling northeast Phoenix. In the early 1990s, Gardner was a campus resource officer at Isaac Junior High, working on the gang squad in the summers.

Other stints included overseeing flight support out of the Deer Valley Airport and working as a liaison in the City Manager's Office. In 2007, when Gardner was the com- MOVING TRUCKS LTtDDMu7 WERE DELAYED! GDKjW 1 mander, the Drug Enforcement Bureau was part of a joint investigation that led to the arrest of the ringleader of a human-smuggling organization, which officials said helped bring 300 illegal immigrants to the Valley every week. In his time as commander of the Professional Standards Division in 2008, Gardner oversaw the revision of the department's immigration-enforcement policy. He was credited with giving police officers more discretion to question people and to notify federal officials when they encounter a suspected illegal immigrant. Gardner said his goal is to connect with residents and remove barriers between the community and the Police Department.

"The community needs to see what's going on in the precinct," Gardner said. "We're accountable to the community. One of the challenges is getting people to believe that." Gardner said he'll also reach out to the Hispanic community. "I think some of the problems we encounter is people aren't familiar with how we operate," Gardner said. "I think it's important to get that group involved, help them address quality-of-life issues." OPEN 10-6 15000 N.

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