Arizona Police Procedures Unveiled Following Major Database Breach

In a significant breach of security, hackers infiltrated Lexipol, a Texas-based company that provides policy and training materials for law enforcement. They have released thousands of sensitive procedure manuals pertinent to police departments nationwide, including several from Arizona.

Lexipol claims to partner with thousands of law enforcement agencies to assist in crafting essential policy and procedure manuals that guide various operational topics. The Arizona Mirror scrutinized over 8,500 files leaked by a hacker group known as “the puppygirl hacker polycule.” This information was made available by DDoSecrets, a nonprofit organization that archives hacked materials.

Among the leaked materials were documents linked to numerous police departments in Arizona, including the Chino Valley, Chandler, Bisbee, Flagstaff, Prescott Valley, and Phoenix Police Departments, along with several others like the Buckeye Fire and Rescue Department and Pima County Community College Police Department. Many leaked files seem to be unfinished drafts, with spaces left for local agencies to add their information. Notably, the Phoenix Police Department’s policy manual contained references to the Oregon Constitution, indicating a probable mix-up in document sourcing.

Responses to the breach have been revealing. Some departments, unaware of the incident, expressed their concerns. “We have not received any information about this from Lexipol,” stated Lake Havasu Police Department Sgt. Kyle Ridgeway in communication with the Mirror. “We began using Lexipol in early 2013. At this time, there is no additional information I can provide.” Other departments have stated that since their final policies are already publicly accessible, they are not overly concerned about the leak.

Flagstaff Police Department Sgt. J.L. Rintala echoed a similar sentiment, expressing confidence in their commitment to transparency. “We are not particularly concerned about our policies being published, as they are already publicly available,” he said. Despite this, Lexipol faces criticism from various advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which accuses the company of developing policies that hinder police reform and potentially enable misconduct.

Specific allegations against Lexipol include crafting policies that might contribute to racial profiling and unjust treatment of immigrants. The ACLU of Washington highlighted a case where a Lexipol policy allegedly led to an unlawful detention aimed at facilitating an interaction with immigration authorities. Moreover, critics have raised concerns over the proprietary nature of the policy documents produced by Lexipol, questioning the accessibility of such information to the public.

Some agencies have distanced themselves from Lexipol in light of the breach. Buckeye Fire and Rescue Department Fire Chief Jake Rhoades indicated that they have transitioned to a different policy management platform known as Power DMS. “We have not been contacted directly by Lexipol regarding this breach,” Rhoades noted.

Similarly, Maricopa Community Colleges Police Chief Blair Barfuss stated that his department remained unaware of the breach until approached by the Mirror. Barfuss expressed concern over the situation but pointed out that much of the leaked information is already publicly accessible via formal records requests. “We aim to be transparent in how and why we perform our public safety efforts,” he reiterated.

Additionally, the leak includes documents showing Lexipol’s efforts to present its services to fire departments and various local governments.