About this episode
Mike Pooley discusses his journey as the first Native American police chief in Arizona and the challenges of policing in different jurisdictions.
Mike Pooley is the first Native American to lead a municipal police department in Arizona and currently serves as the Apache Junction Police Department's chief. He chats with Jerry Ratcliffe about his upbringing on the Navajo Nation Reservation, his transition to the Phoenix area for better educational opportunities, and his journey into law enforcement, where he spent over 20 years with the Tempe Police Department before becoming the police chief at Apache Junction. Pooley shares insights into the challenges of municipal versus tribal policing, highlighting jurisdictional complexities and the socio-economic disparities between city and reservation areas. The episode also touches on personal stories, including the impact of policing on Pooley's family, including the tragic loss of his sister, a former police officer, to alcoholism, underscoring the toll that the profession can take on individuals and families.
People in this episode
Host: Jerry Ratcliffe
Guest: Mike Pooley
Topics covered
- law enforcement
- Native American leadership
- policing challenges
- socio-economic disparities
- personal stories
- jurisdictional complexities
Keywords
- Native American
- police chief
- Apache Junction
- law enforcement
- Navajo Nation
- socio-economic disparities
- policing challenges
- personal stories
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Apache Junction Police Department, Tempe Police Department
Places: Arizona, Navajo Nation Reservation
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