TCFC Solutions AZ Star OpEd; Community Outrage Over Bus Stop Murder; Sobering Center at Pima County Annex; AND MORE!!!!
Tucson Crime Free Coalition (TCFC) Newsletter - April 27, 2025
Support TCFC’s Mission
The Tucson Crime Free Coalition (TCFC) has become one of Tucson’s leading advocacy groups, thanks to our engaged membership and a newsletter readership of over 8,000 people. Our successes are a result of grassroots support.
Donate today to help TCFC continue growing our non-partisan coalition and making Tucson safer and more prosperous:
https://donorbox.org/thanks-for-donating-to-tcfc
Read TCFC Steering Leader Kevin Daily’s Op-Ed:
"Bipartisan bill provides addiction support, protects civil liberties"
Read it here in the Star
OR Read Below
As a proud fifth-generation Tucsonan, my family’s roots in this desert city stretch back over 160 years. In 1896, my ancestors helped shape the Flowing Wells Community, including service on the Flowing Wells School Board. I’ve continued that legacy with pride, serving on the school board for 25 years —currently as its president — carrying forward a deep commitment to public service, and opportunity for our citizens.
Since 1978, Flowing Wells has been my home. My wife, Marie, and I have raised our family here while serving as neighborhood leaders, working alongside our neighbors to foster a safe, thriving community. In 2007, Flowing Wells was honored as an All-American City in the neighborhood category — a testament to the resilience and spirit of our people.
Tucson is a city rich in culture, diversity, and innovation. We’re nationally recognized for our water conservation efforts and strong community bonds. But while there is much to celebrate, we cannot ignore the challenges we face: rising crime, substance use disorder, and the urgent need for compassionate, effective solutions to homelessness. These issues touch every neighborhood and threaten the well-being of our entire city. As a registered Democrat, I recognize these are not partisan issues, these are our issues.
In 2022, I began noticing a disturbing trend in my own neighborhood — our once clean and well-maintained washes leading to the Santa Cruz River were increasingly filled with garbage, mattresses, syringes, and human waste. Neighbors reached out to me with serious concerns about crime, drug use, and unsafe encampments. As someone who’s long admired Tucson’s leadership in water conservation, I found this environmental degradation alarming. It became clear that relying on volunteers to clean hazardous waste without addressing the root causes was both ineffective and unsafe.
That’s why I co-founded the Tucson Crime Free Coalition — to address these complex issues with compassion, collaboration, and evidence-based solutions. From day one, we’ve engaged directly with individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. We’ve partnered with nonprofits and healthcare experts, participated in police ride-alongs, and observed our court systems. These efforts have deepened our understanding of systemic challenges and highlighted the need for humane, proactive strategies that prioritize prevention and community wellbeing.
One of our most impactful collaborations has been with Pima County. Under the leadership of Administrator Jan Lesher and Deputy Administrator Steve Holmes and support from the Supervisors, TCFC was able to help launch the Pima County Transition Center. Overseen by Kate Vesley and Doyle Morrison, the Transition Center provides support, housing, medical care, and treatment for individuals exiting incarceration. In its first year, recidivism for those who took services dropped from 27% to 11%, saving taxpayers nearly $1 million — proof that prevention works.
TCFC has also led on legislative change. Last legislative session we ran a bill that was modeled after California’s CARE Court, but it was not signed into law. In 2024, then-Democratic Supervisor Sylvia Lee took interest in our efforts and convened a coalition of experts — legal, medical, and community leaders — to help craft Senate Bill 1257, sponsored by Republican Senator Vince Leach. This bipartisan bill allows for up to five days of stabilization and treatment for individuals in life-critical crises, while safeguarding civil liberties and due process. It has been supported by Mayor Regina Romero and Councilmember Karen Uhlich as a compassionate and pragmatic solution.
Current Arizona law mandates that individuals detained for narcotics use must be released within 24 hours — a window too short for meaningful care. SB1257 expands that window, giving people a real chance at recovery. By lowering recidivism, reducing emergency service strain, and saving lives, SB1257 demonstrates that smart, compassionate policy is also fiscally responsible.
Tucson deserves leaders who prioritize empathy over rhetoric and collaboration over division. Our future depends on upholding the progressive values that define us: equity, compassion, and community empowerment. I invite you to stand with me in supporting SB1257 and other initiatives that build a safer, healthier Tucson with economic opportunity for our citizens.
Together, we can protect the city we love — and ensure a brighter future for all who call Tucson home.
Kevin Daily is a co-Founder of The Tucson Crime Free Coalition, Flowing Wells Neighborhood Association and Community Coalition President and Flowing Wells School District Governing Board President.
City Council Meeting Update – April 22, 2025
At the April 22 City Council meeting, a critical discussion took place regarding the investment of the opioid settlement funds, projected at $80–$85 million over the next 18 years. Dr. Cullen presented preliminary expenditure ideas under consideration by Pima County.
Mayor Romero’s Key Comments
For the first time, Mayor Regina Romero publicly acknowledged the existence of two distinct populations among Tucson’s unsheltered:
• Individuals down on their luck, receptive to services and shelter.
• Individuals trapped in substance use disorder, particularly fentanyl users, often refusing services.
Mayor Romero voiced concern that the current plans do not go far enough to address the second group and called for urgent action — including increased funding for a Sobering Center.
Sobering Center Proposal Overview
According to Dr. Cullen’s presentation:
• Function: Provide a warm handoff for individuals needing sobering and withdrawal management.
• Services: Access to peer navigation and wraparound support.
• Goal: Mitigate risk during vulnerable periods and increase recovery chances through Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and other supports.
• Community Impact: Expand available withdrawal management resources.
TCFC is pleased this conversation is finally happening. We have long advocated for similar solutions in collaboration with Pima County.
The first phase of the Transition Center has been operational for over a year, reducing 30-day recidivism from 27% to 11% and saving taxpayers nearly $1 million in its first year — yet it remains underutilized.
The Path Forward: Phase 2 of The Transition Center and SB1257
The next phase proposes expanding services into the Annex at the Pima County Jail, a 50,000 sq. ft. secure facility formerly used for work release. This site could temporarily house approximately 350 individuals for detox and connection to long-term treatment programs like Gospel Rescue Mission or La Frontera.
TCFC strongly supports this initiative and is optimistic that SB1257, now advancing through the legislature, will complement this life-saving model.
Proven Results:
• Saves lives
• Restores dignity
• Saves taxpayer dollars
The Hard Truth: Tucson Must Stop Enabling Addiction
Tucson must face reality:
A small, service-resistant population is consuming a disproportionate amount of public resources — a situation worsened by ongoing community and governmental enabling.
Meanwhile, residents and business owners are suffering, experiencing rising crime, vandalism, and deteriorating quality of life.
Arizona Daily Star columnist Tim Steller recently addressed this crisis, highlighting community anger over the brutal murder of Jacob Couch.
Read it here
Notable Quote from TPD Chief Kasmar:
“If you’re not selling drugs, using drugs out in public spaces, or involved in trying to rob each other, your probability of being a victim of violent crime in Tucson is low.”
While there is truth to this, Tucson’s broader community is paying a heavy price for unchecked criminality.
TCFC has reported that businesses are leaving or avoiding Tucson, which is not good for our nearly 20% poverty rate.
Now we are hearing The University of Arizona is facing steep enrollment declines due to safety concerns from parents. If this becomes a trend it will be disastrous for Tucson.
TCFC has said it from the beginning:
"Crime is not down. Reporting is."
Any official suggesting otherwise is gaslighting Tucson.
We don’t have enough officers on the street, reporting fatigue is real, reports are not followed up on to even become an official crime.
Reminder: If you believe you may have a Prop 312 claim, visit:
https://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/prop312claims/
Santa Rita Park Revitalization – A Cautionary Note
Santa Rita Park is undergoing an $8 million voter-approved renovation to create a beautiful and much-needed community asset. However, without strong enforcement policies, this significant investment risks being wasted.
Mayor and Council must bring back the vote on enforcing camping bans in city parks and washes — and ensure that these laws are meaningfully enforced, not merely symbolic.
As a reminder to TCFC members, during the previous votes on this issue, both measures to ban camping in public parks and washes failed.
• The votes on Sec. 11-51 (camping in washes) and the amendment to Secs. 21-1 and 21-3 (camping in parks) ended in a 3-3 tie.
• Councilmembers Cunningham, Dahl, and Santa Cruz opposed the changes.
• The excuse given? “Where will people go?”
A better question is: Where can families go without stepping over needles, trash, and human waste in their own neighborhoods?
Mayor and Council have become very good at delaying further discussions on controversial topics. Councilmember Cunningham called for a revote - when will it happen?
Without enforcement, Santa Rita Park — and other public spaces across Tucson — risk falling right back into being hubs for drug activity, crime, and encampments. Tucson cannot afford to invest millions into revitalization efforts only to see them undermined by a lack of political will to maintain public safety.
TCFC’s Core Message: Compassion + Accountability
We continue to advocate for a balanced approach:
• Treatment for those seeking help.
• Enforcement of our laws.
• Prosecution when necessary, with support structures for those being held accountable.
Sometimes accountability — including jail — is the necessary turning point that saves a life.
This is how we create a safer, healthier Tucson.
Ward 5 City Council Appointment Process
Following the departure of Councilman Richard Fimbres, TCFC supports the appointment of a neutral placeholder to the Ward 5 seat, consistent with past practices.
Important Information:
• Application Deadline: May 1, 2025, by 9:00 a.m.
• Special Meeting and Selection: May 6, 2025, after 3:00 p.m.
Qualifications:
• Tucson residency for at least three (3) years.
• Ward 5 residency for at least one (1) year.
Learn more and apply here:
Process to Fill Ward 5 Council Vacancy
Final Thought
TCFC has been at the forefront — identifying both the problems and the solutions.
With your continued support, we will keep fighting to make Tucson a city that prioritizes public safety, invests wisely, and respects the rule of law.
The gun murder of a teenager by other teenagers in Fort Lowell Park in March is another sad example of the need for improved public safety that the City Council has lacked in their leadership efforts.
Our city is a disgrace and it’s due to bad leadership. Thank you for alerting us to the REAL crime in Tucson.
I’m going to forward this newsletter to my HOA and hope they put your info into their next newsletter. If everyone in HOA’s did this more people would be aware.
I would like to commend Tim Steller’s column: Hatchet killing reflects Tucson’s violence problem for it’s objective and factual reporting. However, I found Chief Kasmar’s assertion that individuals not engaged in drug-related activities or theft have a low risk of becoming victims of violent crime in Tucson to be problematic, a sentiment echoed by many of my social media followers. Despite not participating in any of those activities, I have experienced unprovoked threats of violence in my local park, from individuals who seemed to be under the influence. Additionally, I have been a victim of theft, with my car broken into and the ignition damaged in an attempt to start it with a screwdriver.
I respectfully challenge Mayor Regina Romero’s statement that “People who criticize our work — they don’t have a clue how this work works”. Many community members are quite knowledgeable about how government should operate and how tax dollars should be spent, which is why they express their concerns regarding the Mayor and Council. We simply ask our elected officials, including the Chief of Police, City Manager, and City Magistrate, to prioritize law enforcement and ensure the safety of our neighborhoods.
Janet “JL” Wittenbraker Candidate City Council – Ward 3
Leave a comment