Tempe City Manager Appoints Interim Police Chief

PHOENIX — Retired Tempe Police Commander Jeff Glover has been appointed the city's interim police chief and will begin his one-year tenure on Oct. 12. He will be the first African American to hold the position.

Tempe City Manager Andrew Ching made the announcement Wednesday morning after appointing Glover.

“Jeff is a consummate professional who has impressive public safety credentials and experience, is well respected by residents and peers, and has a unique ability to collaborate and bring people together,” Ching said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him and seeing what he brings to the Tempe Police Department.”

Glover retired from the Tempe Police Department in February after nearly 20 years of service. He began his law enforcement career as a Mesa Police patrol officer in 1998 before joining the Tempe police force the following year. He served four years as a commander in the department, including over the SWAT and Professional Standards Bureau areas. Glover has served as a Governor-appointed Commissioner on the Arizona Commission for African American Affairs since 2018.

He will take over for the outgoing Chief Sylvia Moir, who announced her departure Sept. 15. Moir served as police chief for four years and was the city's first female to hold the position.

Tempe police have come under fire recently after a white officer held a Black hotel employee at gunpoint while searching for a white suspect who was believed to be armed. Video of the encounter on Aug. 29 made the internet rounds and drew ire from the community. The city also settled with the family of Antonio Arce, the 14-year-old who was fatally shot in the back by an officer while holding a toy gun; the Tucson City Council approved a settlement of $2 million in June.

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods previously announced a new public safety task force in August that aims to examine and innovate policing in the city, particularly focusing on how the police department engages with communities of color and those with mental health issues.

In a statement, Glover said he will rise to the challenge facing law enforcement in the city and work to serve it to the best of his ability.

“This is an incredible moment and opportunity for me to contribute to the department and the city I love so much,” Glover said. “My professional life has been about serving others and I want to once again bring my passion for service to this community and to my Tempe Police sisters and brothers. We can and will rise to this occasion and will work together to hear and implement what our community expects from policing in this new day.”