🌱 Phoenix Police Assistants Training Academy + Sites Sold For $8.7M

Morning, everybody! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Phoenix Patch newsletter. Let's get this Wednesday started off right with a quick guide to the most important things going on in town these days.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 95 Low: 70.

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Here are the top three stories today in Phoenix:

1. In an effort to address an officer shortage, the Phoenix Police Department has established a separate training academy for Police Assistants, emphasizing the importance of civilian positions. The academy provides a seven-week program covering various areas such as traffic control, accident and criminal law, forensics, and investigation techniques. Police Assistants, who are unarmed but equipped with pepper spray, Narcan, ballistic vests, and body-worn cameras, handle non-injury accidents, abandoned vehicles, found property, and other low-level calls, as well as offer specialized support to officers when needed. The initiative not only aids in maintaining response times but also serves as a pathway for individuals aspiring to become police officers in the future. (ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix)
2. Following the hottest day of the year, Phoenix is set to experience below-average temperatures for the remainder of the week, according to the National Weather Service. On Monday, the mercury at Sky Harbor International Airport reached 107 degrees, surpassing the normal temperature by five degrees but falling six degrees short of the record for that date. The remainder of the week is likely to see highs ranging from 95 to 98 degrees, significantly lower than the typical highs of 102-103 degrees for this time of year. (KTAR.com)
3. Rockefeller Group has purchased two sites totaling 16.5 acres in South Phoenix for $8.7 million. The real estate developer plans to build 152 townhomes for the growing demand in the area. The projects will offer flexible living options with two to three bedrooms, garages, and amenities such as pools, hot tubs, and dog parks, catering to tenants looking for alternatives to apartments or single-family homes. (Arizona Big Media)

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Today in and around Phoenix:

Wednesday, June 7

• "Treat People With Kindness" Crafts At North Valley Regional Library (3:00 PM)
• Westgate Wednesday At Westgate Entertainment District [Glendale] (6:30 PM)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night At Simple Machine Brewing (6:30 PM)

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From my notebook:

• In nearby Tempe, a vegetarian restaurant, Green New American Vegetarian, has made Yelp's list of the top 100 best burger spots in the U.S. It was the only restaurant in the state to make the list. (FOX 10 News Phoenix)
• On Monday morning, 34-year-old Goliath Cortez was killed in a head-on crash on 16th Street near 16th and Elwood Streets in south Phoenix. (KTAR.com)
• Be aware of a new scam, Phoenix residents! The Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes, has issued a cautionary statement regarding the misuse of artificial intelligence, particularly voice cloning, where scammers manipulate individuals into believing that a family member is in urgent need of financial assistance. Mayes warned that scammers are spoofing phone numbers to look like victims are receiving legitimate calls. (FOX 10 News Phoenix)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.