By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star
Calling the measure unnecessary and possibly dangerous, Gov. Doug Ducey vetoed legislation today to require police departments to withhold for 60 days the names of officers involved in shootings.
Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, argued the delay would provide a cooling-off period of sorts, allowing police to determine the facts of the shooting. More important, Smith said, it would help protect the officer and his or her family from threats.
But Ducey, in his veto message, said police chiefs already have authority to make decisions “in the best interests of their officers and departments.”
