Multiple Buckeye police officials were disciplined for improperly recording crime statistics following an extensive investigation spurred by an anonymous 2017 letter. 

The release of the report Wednesday is the latest of several investigations into allegations about senior police leaders, including that they ordered officers to falsify crime statistics in an attempt to make the city appear more appealing, inconsistently reprimanded officers who committed major policy violations, and operated side businesses despite conflicts of interest.

The report comes more than a year after the anonymous letter from “numerous employees” within the city’s nearly 100-officer police department was delivered to the city manager and City Council members.

The private-investigation firm Copeland Investigations hired to investigate the anonymous letter determined many of the allegations were unfounded because they lacked specificity, included no facts to support the allegations, or didn’t actually violate city policies.

But it determined there was merit to the allegation regarding manipulated crime statistics.

Chief Hall suspended 40 hours

Four department officials faced varying levels of punishment in connection with the improper reporting of crime statistics.

Chief Larry Hall “accepted responsibility for deficiencies in oversight of the crime statistic reporting process, unbecoming conduct and allowing the appearance of a conflict of interest related to an off-duty security firm,” according to the report.

Hall previously came under fire for operating a private security business with Lt. Gary McGeough. McGeough is in charge of the department’s professional-standards unit, which handles internal and external complaints and ensuing investigations.

The investigators found Hall used his official department email for business related to the private security company during on-duty time. Approximately 724 emails dealing with his private business were found during a review of the “sent” folder of his city email account from 2014 to 2017.

He stopped after the issue was brought to his attention, according to the report. 

Hall served a 40-hour suspension in November 2018. He declined to comment on the release of the report to The Republic.

The city stood by Hall in a statement Wednesday.

“We are confident under the current leadership of Chief Hall, Buckeye will continue to maintain the highest professional standards and services to our residents,” the statement said. “Corrections to the sustained allegations were made and the department is successfully moving forward.”

Virgadmo resigned in lieu of termination

Sgt. James Virgadmo violated policy for altering crime statistics and committing harassment in the workplace, according to city officials.

The report detailed how Virgadmo altered the uniformed crime reporting (UCR) codes associated with police reports to present serious offenses as minor ones, painting a more positive picture of Buckeye. Investigators found evidence of this occurring as far back as 2014. Hall was appointed in January 2014.

For example, burglary reports would be labeled as theft or lost property. Assault or robbery cases would be labeled as disorderly conduct.

Investigators noted a dramatic decrease in crime from one year to another even though the population was rapidly growing. The violent crime rate dropped nearly 41 percent from 2013 to 2014 and and continued to decrease in subsequent years under the misclassified numbers.

“This staggering drop in crime, and the continuing downward trend the following years, at a time when Buckeye was steadily increasing in population and neighboring cities were experiencing crime increases, cast doubt on the validity of those figures,” investigators wrote in the report. “Documents reviewed and interviews conducted did nothing to dispel those doubts.”

Multiple witnesses told investigators Virgadmo told them he changed UCR codes to keep the city from looking bad and to prevent his own home value from being affected.

Many of the incorrectly-reported statistics were attributed to Virgadmo and Lt. Charles Arlak, but the report noted Hall knew about the practice and did nothing to address it.

The report also detailed how Virgadmo engaged in bullying and harassing behavior that targeted several of his fellow sergeants, which created a toxic environment.

Virgadmo resigned in lieu of termination.

The investigation also determined Arlak was in violation of policy for “misclassifying crime statistics” and for failing to properly supervise the reporting process, which was part of his job.

He has already served his 20-hour suspension.

McGeough received a written reprimand for his role with the private security business.

Some issues may have arisen under previous chief

The report implied that many of the issues may have arisen under Buckeye’s previous chief, Mark Mann.

Mann resigned in December 2017 after a separate investigation found Mann fostered a hostile work environment, oversaw ineptitude and spurred paralyzing feuds, according to thousands of pages of reports, department emails and interview transcripts The Republic obtained.

“The assistant chief is supposed to be the final authority before the chief himself, to be an example of fairness and impartiality,” investigators wrote. “Mark Mann failed in his duty; instead of being an example of how his people should treat each other, he stirred the pot of dissension.”

The same report also detailed Hall’s attempts to address the problems within the department.

Mann served as chief until 2014 when Hall took over. Mann then took on the role of assistant chief until resigning in 2017.

Mann called the investigation “unfair and biased.” He told The Republic he was forced out because he stood up to bullying, harassment and misconduct.

Department embracing changes

The department has since corrected the 2016 and 2017 crime statistics with the Arizona Department of Safety. Additionally, they’ve improved the crime reporting process and increased training for classifying crimes.

A city spokesperson also said the department has passed an independent audit by DPS for UCR records reporting. The employees previously working on crime reporting have been reassigned or are no longer with the department.

The investigators did recommend that a complete audit should be conducted of Buckeye police’s crime reports and reporting.

Reach public safety reporter Bree Burkitt at [email protected] or at 602-444-8515. Follow her on Twitter at @breeburkitt.

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