The Queen Creek Police Department (QCPD) is officially in action today, Jan. 11. The transition from Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office District 6 (MCSO) to QCPD occurred at midnight without a hitch.
"For us, this is a historic moment," Police Chief Randy Brice said at a noon press conference. "We're having a really good first 12 hours."
Brice said they've handed out warnings so far instead of tickets for speeders as they focus on roadway safety for both residents and visitors throughout town. He said the town does not make money off of speeding tickets contrary to late night social media chatter that had residents on a challenge to receive the first traffic citation.
Other residents have been asking about response time and the numerous county islands around town.
"Our goal is to arrive in less than five minutes," Brice said. "The many county islands adjacent to the town MCSO still covers, but we will work with them closely to make sure our county residents are safe."
Vice Mayor Dawn Oliphant was on hand with a big smile on her face. Her father was a Phoenix police officer for 24 years and then a range master with the Mesa Police Department after he retired.
"I've been on the Town Council for 12 years and for 10 of those we've been talking about this and now to see it happen is so exciting," Oliphant said. "I keep asking myself if this is real. I'm so proud to have been on the council that voted yes to start this police department."
QCPD’s non-emergency number is 480-358-3500. Follow QCPD at Facebook.com/QueenCreekPolice. To report non-emergency issues and find answers to commonly asked questions, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/SeeClickFix.
