By Staff Reporter |
Phoenix City Council member Anna Hernandez is advocating for the city to reduce its police presence and funding.
Hernandez joined a press conference hosted by Semillas Arizona and Pueblo Unido por la Democracia Y La Educacion/People United for Democracy and Education (PUDE), two newer progressive sister advocacy groups.
Activists held signs with messages including “NO PEACE STOP FUNDING POLICE” and “YOU CAN’T SHOOT POVERTY AWAY” during the Monday press conference designed as a precursor to the city council policy session on Tuesday.
Hernandez said during the press conference that law enforcement shouldn’t be responding to calls concerning issues with mental health or homelessness.
“We cannot keep relying on law enforcement to respond to behavioral health crises, poverty, housing instability, and challenges facing our community while underinvesting in the services that actually address these conditions,” said Hernandez.
During Tuesday’s policy session, Hernandez also said that police need to stop engaging with the youth. Hernandez’s criticisms were in response to the Phoenix Police Department’s draft strategic plan to improve public safety and community transparency.
“I don’t believe our officers should be engaging with our youth, considering what we’re seeing happen, especially by some of our school resource officers, not just in the city of Phoenix but across the state of Arizona and across the country,” said Hernandez.
Hernandez said that police interactions with the homeless or mentally ill would only serve to “criminalize” these populations. Hernandez concluded her remarks with an apology to the audience for Phoenix police’s draft strategic plan.
“I’m so sorry, you should not be experiencing this,” said Hernandez to the meeting attendees. “We failed you.”
Hernandez’s impetus for serving in an elected office is based on the fatal shooting of her brother, Alejandro Hernandez, by Phoenix police in 2019. At the time of his death, Alejandro was walking through a canal high on methamphetamine, noncompliant with officers’ commands, and repeatedly pointing a replica gun disguised to look like a real rifle at police. Hernandez had called police on her brother for violating her family’s order of protection against him.
“[T]he evidence indicates that the officers […] believed it was possible Mr. Hernandez was carrying [a] loaded firearm,” stated the ruling. “Accordingly, when Mr. Hernandez brought the toy to his face and pointed the gun towards the officers just prior to being shot, [the] officers on the scene reasonably believed they were in immediate and life-threatening danger.”
Hernandez’s mother sued the city of Phoenix over Alejandro’s death, but the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona ruled the shooting to be justified in 2024.
Prior to serving on the Phoenix City Council, Hernandez served in the Arizona Senate from 2023 through 2025.
While in the state legislature, Hernandez sponsored bills proposing major reforms to police conduct and oversight.
Senate Bill 1074 proposed to reclassify suspects harmed or killed by police use of force as “victims,” require investigative attorneys to provide interpreters for suspects who don’t speak English, and permanently ban from law enforcement and withhold pensions for officers involved in a shooting or in-custody death from law enforcement.
Senate Bill 1419 proposed to prohibit police from using unmarked vehicles to stop and detain individuals.
According to its Facebook page, Semillas Arizona’s founders and current leadership consist of illegal aliens. The organization characterizes its more than 7,000 members as “migrant, indigenous, and working-class” Arizonans advocating for the abolition of ICE, multiculturalism, and reduced police presence in neighborhoods.
PUDE, according to its website, shares the goals of Semillas Arizona and realizes them through endorsements of candidates in its Voceros program and campaign support for political candidates in its Semillero de Voceros program. PUDE also founded and leads the political action committee Harmonize AZ Now!, which provides a voting guide that ranks political candidates based on their alignment with the PAC’s beliefs.
PUDE’s first three endorsements were Bobby Nichols, Tempe City Council member; Elizabeth Lee, Democratic nominee for the 5th Congressional District; and Ed Hermes, Phoenix City Council candidate.
No campaign finance data exists for PUDE or Harmonize AZ Now! as of this report. Semillas Arizona received its tax exemption in March of this year according to IRS records, though social media activity reflects the organization existing as far back as 2020.
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