Discussion and possible action to authorize the City Mayor to execute an updated version of the Intergovernmental Agreement including the Peoria Police Department in the Arizona Child Abduction Response Team, to receive and extend mutual aid in the form of law enforcement services and resources to respond to child abduction cases.

The Arizona Child Abduction Response Team (AZCART) started in the east valley and has proven to be a proactive tool in locating missing or abducted children. The Peoria City Council authorized the Peoria Police Department’s participation in AZCART in 2012 and in 2020. The AZCART’s purpose is to provide a pool of specialized investigators which are available to focus dedicated and intensive investigative, preventative and general law enforcement efforts primarily with regard to cases involving abducted children. The use of AZCART provides law enforcement agencies with access to a wide variety of resources by pooling individual agency resources while conducting large scale investigations involving child abduction.

The success of the AZCART team in the east valley prompted the formation of a Central Region CART team which includes west valley agencies.

The current agreement that was approved by City Council in 2020 will be in effect until June 30, 2030. However, the current State program lead discovered that all agencies involved in this agreement are not working off of the same agreement version. therefore, a new draft has been developed to be signed by all law enforcement agencies involved to maintain uniformity. The proposed agreement will have an expiry date on June 30, 2030 as well.

City Council previously approved this agreement at the August 18, 2020.

A: Approve the new version of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the participation of the Peoria Police Department in the Arizona Child Abduction Response Team (AZCART) to receive and extend mutual aid in the form of law enforcement services and resources to respond to child abduction cases.

B: Choose not to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement for the participation of the Peoria Police Department in the Arizona Child Abduction Response Team (AZCART).

Approve the new version of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the participation of the Peoria Police Department in the Arizona Child Abduction Response Team (AZCART) to receive and extend mutual aid in the form of law enforcement services and resources to respond to child abduction cases.

Any expenditures will come out of the Police Department’s operating budget. No additional funding is being requested.