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KIWANIS TREATS
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
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@AhwatukeeFN
Cop who killed local man faces dismissal BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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@AhwatukeeFN |
T
he Phoenix Police Department has begun proceedings to fire the cop who fatally shot an Ahwatukee man in the back last year in the doorway of his condo. But the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association said it will fight the move to dismiss Officer Jeff Cooke from the job he’s held for about four years. Cooke was the shooter in the May 21, 2020, death of Ryan Whitaker at his Desert Foothills Parkway home.
Whitaker was shot twice in the back seconds after answering his door as Cooke and Officer John Ferragamo responded to a 911 report that there was a domestic dispute in his building. Both officers were immediately placed on administrative leave but Ferragamo was eventually cleared of wrongdoing and returned to active duty. Cooke remains on administrative leave. According to a Phoenix Police Department statement released last week, the Use of Force Board, comprising sworn staff and community members, met on May 26 and “reviewed the shooting involving Officer Jeff Cooke, and recommended the incident be designated as
within policy. But, “after extensive review of the totality of the circumstances, Chief (Jeri) Williams has notified Officer Cooke of the intent to move forward to end his employment with the Phoenix Police Department," the statement continued. "The administrative process is still underway. In the interim, Officer Cooke remains on administrative leave.” Police union President Michael “Britt” London said PLEA “is disappointed in the decision by the Phoenix Police Department to termi-
see WHITAKER page 15
Public safety pension Disc golf campaign fund sees good news BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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espite an $11.8 billion unfunded liability owed by more than 300 Arizona municipalities, counties and state agencies, some encouraging trends have emerged for the system that provides pensions for nearly 60,000 retired first responders, corrections officers and qualifying elected officials. Shaped in part by the unexpected surge in revenue many of those government entities have seen for nearly a year, those trends aren’t just good news for the retirees who receive pensions from the
Public Safety Personnel Retirement System. They’re also good news for taxpayers. One trend involves the largely unflagging health of the stock market. Combined with some astute investment decisions, PSPRS has seen an unaudited return of close to 25 percent on investments for the agency’s pension funds in the 2020-21 fiscal year. Though the exact percentage won’t be known for several months pending a routine annual audit, that one-year return is the biggest the PSPRS has seen in more than 30 years.
see PENSION page 12
Tom Butler of Ahwatukee is campaigning to have the city create a disc golf course at Sun Ray Park. For a look at his progress, see page 3. (Pablo
Robles/AFN Staff Photographer)
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