Manager of Tempe PD’s Forensic and Technology units to depart from the department

Tempe officials have confirmed that the manager overseeing several units within the police department with a history of issues is retiring after two years on the job. Wil Price, who first served as a sworn officer in the Tempe Police Department from 1982 to 2003, will retire on April 19. He then returned as a professional staff member in 2022 and has been serving as the Manager of the Police Analytics Bureau.

The Police Analytics Bureau includes units such as the Forensic Services Unit and the Technical Services Unit. The ABC15 Investigators have been reporting on problems within these units for months, dating back several years. Price was recently named in a Notice of Claim by a former police officer who alleges retaliation for whistleblowing about issues within the technology unit.

Officer Anthony Chiaro, who worked for Tempe police for over 20 years and spent nearly a decade in the Technical Services Unit, claims he faced retaliation after reporting misuse of public funds and unused equipment within the department. The Forensic Services Unit has also been under scrutiny for lacking proper equipment and standards while processing crime scenes.

In response to these issues, Tempe officials stated that Chief Kenneth McCoy is working to transform the police department and make it one of the top agencies in the country. The department is actively combating street racing, reducing serious injury collisions, and is set to open a Real-Time Operations Center in the near future. Interviews on these topics may be scheduled at a later date.