| ITEM #: 2. DATE: 11/02/2026 AI #:3519 |
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | APPROVAL OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT (IGA) WITH ARIZONA CHILD ABDUCTION RESPONSE TEAM (AZCART) |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Brian Issitt, Chief of Police |
SUMMARY
The IGA allows for the city of Goodyear Police Department to participate in the Arizona Child Abduction Response Team (AZCART).
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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RECOMMENDATION
Approve the IGA to participate in the Arizona Child Abduction Response Team and provide authorization and direction to the City Manager, or designee, to take actions and execute documents necessary to carry out the intent of the agreement. (Brian Issitt, Chief of Police)
FISCAL IMPACT
Each party will be responsible only for the costs accrued by their own agencies in implementing this IGA, such as employee salary, shift differential pay, overtime compensation, benefits, vehicles, equipment, etc. Any costs incurred in a response by Goodyear staff will be absorbed within the Police Department base budget.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS
The AZCART is a multi-jurisdictional task force designed to provide additional resources to agencies across both the East and West Valleys in efforts to combat crimes against children, including kidnapping, abduction, false imprisonment, and related offenses. The Central Regional CART agencies will include participating cities from the East and West Valleys as well as Luke Air Force Base.
The East Valley CART program received federal certification in 2011 and played a critical role in the investigation of the disappearance of five-year-old Jhessye Shockley. The existence of the East Valley CART IGA enabled a rapid and coordinated response by law enforcement, facilitating the assistance of 58 officers from surrounding agencies over a two-day period. Without the IGA, these personnel would not have been readily available. The East Valley CART Team is now expanding into a Central Region CART Team, further increasing the resources available to participating agencies.
Under the CART framework, member agencies may request and provide mutual aid for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of individuals involved in child kidnapping, abduction, false imprisonment, and similar offenses. This includes support for the rescue of abducted children and the seizure and forfeiture of assets associated with such criminal activity, utilizing both state and federal laws and procedures where appropriate.
In any major criminal investigation, the first 24 hours are critical; however, in child abduction cases, the window for safe recovery is often far shorter. Research shows that in child abductions resulting in homicide, 76 percent of victims are killed within the first three hours of their disappearance. This underscores the importance of mobilizing extensive resources immediately. The CART concept is straightforward: provide the immediate capability to rapidly deploy a large number of trained personnel to canvass neighborhoods, pursue leads, conduct background checks—including the identification and location of convicted sex offenders—and carry out any other required investigative tasks as quickly as possible. This rapid, resource-intensive response can be the determining factor in whether a child is located alive.
The current IGA, which was approved by City Council in 2021 expires in June 30, 2030. Due to modifications, a new IGA is required and is included as Attachment A.
The East Valley CART program received federal certification in 2011 and played a critical role in the investigation of the disappearance of five-year-old Jhessye Shockley. The existence of the East Valley CART IGA enabled a rapid and coordinated response by law enforcement, facilitating the assistance of 58 officers from surrounding agencies over a two-day period. Without the IGA, these personnel would not have been readily available. The East Valley CART Team is now expanding into a Central Region CART Team, further increasing the resources available to participating agencies.
Under the CART framework, member agencies may request and provide mutual aid for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of individuals involved in child kidnapping, abduction, false imprisonment, and similar offenses. This includes support for the rescue of abducted children and the seizure and forfeiture of assets associated with such criminal activity, utilizing both state and federal laws and procedures where appropriate.
In any major criminal investigation, the first 24 hours are critical; however, in child abduction cases, the window for safe recovery is often far shorter. Research shows that in child abductions resulting in homicide, 76 percent of victims are killed within the first three hours of their disappearance. This underscores the importance of mobilizing extensive resources immediately. The CART concept is straightforward: provide the immediate capability to rapidly deploy a large number of trained personnel to canvass neighborhoods, pursue leads, conduct background checks—including the identification and location of convicted sex offenders—and carry out any other required investigative tasks as quickly as possible. This rapid, resource-intensive response can be the determining factor in whether a child is located alive.
The current IGA, which was approved by City Council in 2021 expires in June 30, 2030. Due to modifications, a new IGA is required and is included as Attachment A.
STAFF ANALYSIS
By participating in AZCART, the Goodyear Police Department will have access to multi-jurisdictional law enforcement resources and expertise which will provide additional necessary resources to respond to, investigate and prosecute these crimes. Any Party to the IGA may request activation of CART. The Party that has jurisdiction over the incident or investigation will remain as the lead agency for the duration of a particular CART activation, with support from CART agencies. Each Party shall, to the best of its ability, make at least one sworn law enforcement officer available along with supporting equipment such as vehicles in support of any CART activation. Each Party shall have the sole discretion to determine how many or how long any of its personnel or resources shall be assigned in support of CART activation and responsible for their agencies costs.
Currently, if a large scale qualifying event (i.e. child kidnapping, abduction, false imprisonment and similar or related violations) were to occur in the City of Goodyear, the Goodyear Police Department would be reliant on its own limited resources and personnel. Although this may be sufficient for the successful investigation of a qualifying event, the ability to immediately expand available resources and expertise with a CART activation would make a significant difference in the investigation and resolution of an event.
Currently, if a large scale qualifying event (i.e. child kidnapping, abduction, false imprisonment and similar or related violations) were to occur in the City of Goodyear, the Goodyear Police Department would be reliant on its own limited resources and personnel. Although this may be sufficient for the successful investigation of a qualifying event, the ability to immediately expand available resources and expertise with a CART activation would make a significant difference in the investigation and resolution of an event.