On Thursday, the Phoenix Police Department hosted a news conference to announce the results of Operation Summer Shield 2023. Police say the multiagency operation was “immensely successful” and led to the arrest of 580 suspects.
The operation took place June 5 through June 9 and resulted in hundreds of arrests, as well as gun and drug seizures:
• More than 580 arrests / 420+ for felonies
• Nearly 520,000 fentanyl pills
• More than 5 pounds of methamphetamine
• Seized more than 40 weapons all of which were taken from prohibited possessors.
“Last week, we rolled out our Crime Reduction Plan to give the Department a blueprint for addressing crime. That plan focuses on going after the small percentage of people committing the majority of crime,” Phoenix Police Chief Sullivan said. “Operation Summer Shield did exactly that. We targeted the most violent people with outstanding warrants and prohibited possessors.”
While this was only a five-day operation, the planning and coordination took seven weeks.
More than 230 of those arrested had a criminal history that included violence and 16 absconders of the Department of Corrections were located and brought back to prison.
This operation cleared four homicide cases and close to 700 active warrants.
Additionally, every gun seized during this operation were found to be in the possession of a prohibited possessor.