THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON Veteran High-tech receives swim rental school house eyeing LP PAGE
8
westvalleyview.com
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS .............. 8 Avondale girl becomes cyberbully activist
SPORTS ........ 18 Millennium senior attends MLB camp in Florida
9 DAYS ......... 20 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................11 BUSINESS..................... 14 SPORTS ..........................17 FEATURES .....................21 YOUTH ...........................28 OBITUARIES .................30 CLASSIFIEDS................31 SOUTH
A New Beginning Can Start Today!
PAGE
10
July 24, 2019
The Voice of the West Valley for 34 years
Buckeye police prioritizing less-lethal weapons BY OCTAVIO SERRANO
West Valley View Staff Writer
The police tactics and protocols on how to approach radical situations have changed since Assistant Chief Robert Sanders was a rookie. “Society has progressed. The role of the police officer now is to create time and distance and deescalate the crisis,” Sanders said. “But we’ve got to make sure we have the right tools.” The Buckeye Police Department gives its officers the proper tools and training to prevent injuries and death in the field. They do so by implementing the right attitude when approaching a critical situation and providing less-lethal weapons that are used as a first resource. Sanders said police work used to be less tactful and had fewer options of less-lethal weapons. Today, however, he is proud to say every squad carries an assortment of different weapons that can be used in crisis situations. More so than just providing weapons, the BPD focuses on developing its officers’ communication skills. An important tool the officers have, Sanders said, is “our voice, our command
The FN303 is used to shoot precise rounds that carry pepper spray, which would incapacitate a subject. (West Valley View photo by Octavio Serrano)
and how we speak to people. We try to build a rapport because we’re not here to fight. That’s not our job.” Should there be a 9-1-1 call where a
person can be either a danger to people or themselves, rather than storming through
Weapons...continued on page 2
Tolleson residents upset with city after brush fire BY ANDREA ESTRADA
West Valley View Staff Writer
A group of Tolleson residents says the city is responsible for not cleaning up dry brush that caught on fire near their neighborhood on the Fourth of July. Juanita Garcia and Tina Gamez, who live in the Tolsun Farms community, raised complaints about the brush fire at a recent Tolleson City Council meeting.
Garcia, who said the fire started on a lot on the northeast corner of 91st Avenue and Van Buren Street, recalled when a neighbor knocked on her door on the night of the incident. “She said, ‘Get out there with your hose because the backyard is on fire.’ When I got out there, we grabbed two of our hoses, and we started pouring water because we saw (fire) coming from 91st down
towards our home,” Garcia said. “It was burning pretty fast. All the neighbors were out there with their hoses.” According to public records, the fire’s heat source was fireworks, and the cause of ignition was unintentional. “Many of us had family and friends over MEDICATION to enjoy the holiday at our homes. Even A
DRUG & ALC DEPENDENCY TR
Fire...continued on page 3
ADDICTION TREATMENT TODAY • FRIENDLY • DISCREET • DETOX AT HOME
We offer evidence-based solutions customized to our patients’ needs • Out-patient • Suboxone, Vivitrol available • Individual & Group Counseling - Most Insurances accepted -
7331 E. Osborn, Suite 410, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 www.truesolutionshealth.com
CALL (480) 550.7842 For a confidential Consultation