PLEA previously reported on a situation involving Phoenix Police Commander Paula Veach being appointed to a seat on the AZPOST Board. The position she was briefly appointed to is reserved for a member of the public.
The real culprits in this mess are AZPOST themselves and the Governor’s Office on Boards and Commissions.
Our State group, the Arizona Police Association, lodged a formal complaint last week with the Governors office on State Boards and Commissions. PLEA also applied pressure by posting information on our website and Facebook page as well as doing media interviews to shed light on the issue and ask the obvious questions that many others should have asked before the appointment was allowed to go through. Every current member of the AZPOST board (Police Chief or County Sheriff) had a duty and obligation to oppose this blatant twisting of the law (ARS 41-1822) in what could only be described as an obvious attempt to deny citizen input. It is ironic that the very institution that sits in judgement of peace officer conduct statewide seems to think its OK to violate the rules that govern their own conduct when it suits them.
This is the epitome of hypocrisy and arrogance.
In addition to Commander Veach being removed, PLEA was informed that the person in charge of the Governors office on State Boards and Commissions was also removed from their post.