Phoenix, Arizona, may not be the “kidnapping capital” of the United States after all.

 

Having earned the nickname because of high numbers of reported kidnappings, Phoenix is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice on suspicion of inflating its crime reports to win federal grants.

 

City police reported 358 kidnappings in 2008, which averaged out to almost one a day. But a local television news channel, ABC15, was unable to verify this total after spending months reviewing the 2008 kidnapping statistics and official police reports. The news station’s stories on the issue then prompted the Justice Department to launch an audit of the Phoenix police.

 

ABC15 said the police may have exaggerated the kidnapping total by at least 100 cases.

 

If the department fails the federal audit, Phoenix may have to pay back millions of grant dollars, as well as fork over money for fines and penalties. Criminal investigation of police officials also is not out of the question.

 

The city’s top cop, Chief Jack Harris, has lost his job at least temporarily because of the controversy. Harris was forced to step down while city officials conduct their own review of the kidnapping figures.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Phoenix Police Kidnapping Stats Don't Add Up (by Dave Biscobing, ABC15)

Phoenix Faces US Justice Dept Probe for Inflated Kidnapping Stats (by Dave Biscobing, ABC15)

Phoenix Police Chief Reassigned Pending Review of Kidnapping Numbers (by Lynh Bui and William Hermann, Arizona Republic)