Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir
Communication to City Manager Andrew Ching and Tempe City Council
Nov. 11, 2018

Recently, an anonymous author emailed the City Council and local media alleging various
infractions by me or others during my service in Tempe. I reject the assertions in the letter as a
combination of simply misinformed, outright false and inflammatory. Sadly, many also display
barely-concealed sexism and discrimination.
Below are my thoughts on each category of assertion:
Favoritism of female employees
I will never hide or apologize for my commitment to equal access and opportunity for all
employees, regardless of class, gender, classification, race or any other factor. Believing in this
principle does not equate to favoritism. Our organization promotes those who are most ready for
promotion and right for the job – period. This allegation is offensive and shows a gender bias
that I sincerely hope we can rid from our department specifically and the police profession
broadly.
Off-hours activity during city travel
During a recent out-of-state trip to a professional conference, several female employees – not
those named in the emails – did visit an establishment where topless dancing occurs. This
occurred during the off-hours of the conference. Again, let me state that the named employees
were not those in attendance, so any repetition of the names in the email would be highly
inappropriate. The employees reportedly left the establishment after 20 minutes, upon feeling
that the activity was inappropriate.
I do not condone this activity. I have personal feelings about these establishments and believe
that they objectify women. I was not in attendance, though I was an attendee of this particular
conference. Despite my belief that it equates to a very poor choice, what our officers did is not a
violation of policy in either the police department or the city. According to HR rules, city
employees receive a daily per diem in advance of their trips and what they do with it is not
regulated, as long as it is spent on legal activities. I strongly discourage this type of activity on
work trips in the future and will ensure this is conveyed widely in the department and to the
individuals involved.
Amount of travel
I believe that in-state and out-of-state conferences and committee service make me a better chief.
They provide real-world opportunities to learn from others and continuously improve my skills,
and I bring that wisdom home for the benefit of our department and residents.

 Historically, I often decline a daily per diem and/or transportation in order to decrease costs for
the city. Frequently, my conference admission and travel are sponsored by the law enforcement
group hosting the conference. Anecdotally, I am aware that a level of travel similar to what mine
has been throughout my career as a chief is not uncommon.
Succession planning within our department is vitally important to me. We must bring along the
next generation of police leaders for Tempe. In that spirit, I have been and will continue to
increasingly delegate learning opportunities to those in my command and elsewhere in the
organization. And I have empowered Assistant Chiefs, Commanders and Bureau Managers with
managing their respective training budgets according to the needs of their groups.
Finally on the topic of travel, I believe that appropriate out-of-state training opportunities can
and do bring units together and refine their skills. We have highly skilled units like motor
officers that rely on team cohesion and trust.
I am disappointed in the avenue chosen to report alleged issues with the department. As Chief, I
have an open door, as do all of our Assistant Chiefs and supervisors. We cultivate an
environment of accountability and integrity, and there should be no hesitation about bringing
concerns forward. Only then can we solve issues quickly and positively so that we can get back
to the work we do best – protecting Tempe community members. I remain deeply committed to
that work and to the City of Tempe.