13 minute read
The Interview with Amy Bonney, Police Chief, Prescott Police Department
Only Place I Want to be - Prescott
PRESCOTT’S POLICE CHIEF SHARES HER VIEWS
by Ray Newton
So fortunate to have trained many young leaders through the FBI National Academy Youth Leadership Program.
Running in the Tinkerbell half marathon at Disneyland.
I wish I could remember what year this was…. a local paper did an article about women at the PD. I was an officer then so sometime before 2005.
Amy Bonney, a Prescott native, attended Prescott High School in the early 1990s where she was an honor student, an athlete — track and field — and a flautist in the orchestra and the Badger marching band. When she graduated in 1994, she enrolled at Northern Arizona University (NAU) and initially was pleased by brighter lights, a greater variety of shopping and malls, and more social events.
However, “That four years I was away made me realize Prescott was the only place for me.”
When she graduated from NAU in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and minor in Spanish, she returned to Prescott. She applied for and was accepted as an officer in the Prescott Police Department (PPD). She rose through the ranks and was promoted to deputy chief in 2016. Just a few years later, she would be named as the PPD chief of police.
Along the way she married Prescott Valley policeman Brandon Bonney, now retired. They have an 11-yearold daughter Reagan and live near Amy’s parents and enjoy a strong and close family relationship.
Almost immediately on her return to Prescott, she would become involved in civic and community activities that ultimately would propel her to prominence in her hometown. For example, within the past two years, she has participated in the popular Prescott version of “Dancing with the Stars.” She was nominated this past year for the prestigious Athena “Woman of the Year” award. And just this past Jan. 9, she was invited to conduct the opening number —The Star-Spangled Banner — for the Arizona Philharmonic Orchestra concert at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center.
Bonney is emphatic that the best thing she ever did in her career was to return to Prescott. “Once I graduated from NAU, I knew immediately I wanted to ‘go home.’ I never applied anywhere else. Prescott is the only place for me and my family.” Q
Photo Courtesy of The City of Prescott
Amy and Reagan
Another group of the amazing young adults at the Youth Leadership Program in Quantico
Police Academy Days 1998
Prescott LIVING: Chief, you are a native of Prescott. Are your parents natives, too?
Chief Amy Bonney: No. They came here in the mid-‘70s from Pennsylvania. They moved here, and my mom took a job with the Veteran’s Administration. An only child, I attended Prescott schools.
Prescott LIVING: At one time, you were going to be a musician.
Chief Amy Bonney: That was the original plan. I did a lot with music from the time I was probably in third or fourth grade. I loved it. During my high school years, in particular, I spent a lot of time doing music — instrumental and choral. When I first enrolled at Northern Arizona University, I thought I would be a music major. That lasted about six weeks. When I took a music theory class, I learned there is a lot of math in music theory. I don’t like math. But I did continue to play the flute there.
- CHIEF AMY BONNEY
Prescott LIVING: You were also a high school athlete.
Chief Amy Bonney: Yes. I did track, shot put and discus. One year I actually tried my hand or my legs at triple jump and long jump. I am very short, relatively speaking. Why one of the coaches said, “Oh, you should try this,” still baffles me. But I did that for a season. That was fun, too.
Prescott LIVING: What prompted you to enroll into criminal justice at NAU?
Chief Amy Bonney: When I was in high school, I was part of a Boy Scout Explorer Post Program sponsored by Prescott Police Department. I had wonderful mentors — the officers that led our Explorer Post. I always had that interest in the profession. When I
Police Chief swearing in ceremony with daughter Reagan and husband Brandon
Of course you have to run by the White House when you run in D.C.
I’ve always wanted to be a police officer-but being a firefighter for a weekend during Fire Ops 101 was awesome!
really knew that music wasn’t my thing, I started taking criminal justice classes. I knew I didn’t want to be a lawyer. I really started taking a look at what being a police officer would entail. I had several friends who had gone into the profession. The longer I thought about it, the more I knew that was what I was really called to do.
Prescott LIVING: Tell me what an Explorer Post is? What do they do?
Chief Amy Bonney: At the time, it was a group of young people in high school. It was a volunteer opportunity through the Boy Scouts of America. We did all sorts of things. We had weekly meetings, we did ride-alongs with police. We helped at accident scenes. We just learned from them. We did service for the community. Unfortunately, we don’t have an Explorer Post anymore, but we are working on something to substitute for that.
Prescott LIVING: Why did you come back to Prescott after you completed your degree?
Chief Amy Bonney: I was born and raised here. I always thought, “I am going to move away like every kid does.” I went to Flagstaff, not that far away. What I really realized is that Prescott had everything I ever wanted. I’m definitely not a partying kind of person. I didn’t need lots of nightclubs or anything like that, especially when I was younger. Prescott is beautiful. My family lives here. I realized if I am going to go down this road in law enforcement, there is absolutely no other place I would want to do it.
Prescott LIVING: What appealed to you about joining the Prescott Police Department? Why not the sheriff’s department or state police?
Chief Amy Bonney: First and foremost, it was just the early mentorship and the leadership of the people that really helped me get into this profession. They absolutely could have treated us high school kids like we were a bunch of snot-nosed brats hanging around. They didn’t. They were all wonderful to us. They treated us like we were future professionals. I credit that a lot with why I wanted to be here. The Prescott Police Department has always maintained a reputation of being a professional organization with good people at its core. Nothing about that has ever changed throughout the 23-plus years I have been working here. I look around at the other agencies. I actually did Continued on page 58 Q
Welcoming New City Council,
NEW DIRECTION FOR PRESCOTT
by Phil Goode, Mayor, Prescott, AZ
Mayor Phil Goode: “First, I would like to wish all our readers a Happy New Year. With the return of our traditional holiday events and gatherings, Prescott shined as Arizona’s Christmas City once again. As we look ahead to the new year, and my first full year in office, there are many priorities for City Council.
“I would like to congratulate Cathey Rusing, who was elected by Council to be Mayor Pro Tem. The primary responsibility of the Mayor Pro Tem is to lead meetings and represent the city when the Mayor is unavailable to do so. I look forward to working with Mayor Pro Tem Rusing in this capacity in the year ahead.”
Goode says he’s forming three new ad hoc committees. They are:
• A Water Policy Advisory Committee to provide input for the Water Issues Subcommittee and for Council on the critical issues of water policy.
• A Charter Amendments Review Advisory Commission to review possible proposed changes to the City Charter. Any recommended changes to the charter would be put to a vote of the people.
• A General Plan Advisory Committee to help update the General Plan in 2025. This committee will help advise Council on proposed updates.
“As I have stated since my campaign, I ran on several critical issues for our city, including managing our water resources, transparency in government and maintaining responsible growth.
“The Water Policy Advisory Committee is separate from the Water Issues Subcommittee, which is made up only of Council members. This Advisory Committee will consist of citizens who will provide input for Council to monitor our water policy and its impact on our community.”
Mayor Kell Palguta,
PRESCOTT VALLEY
Mayor Kell Palguta: “We certainly have a lot of things to be excited and proud about in Prescott Valley. Our goal must be to keep Prescott Valley an amazing and vibrant community set on attracting high-paying jobs, providing an amazing education to our youth, enticing specialty medical physicians to our area, encouraging entrepreneurship through economic development, and supporting small businesses, all while maintaining the feel of a small community. Some may argue this is impossible, but I will vehemently argue that this is quite possible and, in fact, happening.”
YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX
Prescott Valley Town Council on Sept. 23, 2021, authorized purchase from Yavapai County of the Exhibition Center at the former Yavapai County Fairgrounds complex. The ultimate intent of the purchase was to license the building and additional acreage (a total of 37 acres) to a third party for creation of a youth sports complex.
The purchase transaction with the County closed in November when the Town took official ownership. This past November, Council approved a license agreement with Sunwest HC, Inc. to create and run the complex.
Sunwest HC, as Wheelhouse Sports Complex, has indicated its intent to install two portable skating rinks and two volleyball courts inside the building along with other renovations and repairs. It also plans a BMX track in an open area south of the building.
Wheelhouse Board of Directors President Charlie Arnold said Wheelhouse plans three possible roller hockey tournaments in 2022, with a projected 500 players per tournament and projects jobs for 20 people. For updates, visit Wheelhouse AZ on Facebook.
YOUTH ARTS MONTH
The Prescott Valley Public Library will be an art gallery in March with work from students ages kindergarten through high school; participants are enrolled in an art class at various schools within the town of Prescott Valley. Awards for student artists and prizes for their instructors to provide supplies for their classrooms will be announced at a public reception at the beginning of March (date to be announced). If you have a young artist who would like to participate but is not currently enrolled in an art class, contact arts&culture@pvaz.net for information on how they can participate.
EGGSTRAVAGANZA
Save the date April 9 to join the Town at the Prescott Valley Civic Center for free egg hunts, games, entertainment and more.
For information on the Town of Prescott Valley, visit www.pvaz.net or Prescott Valley Town Government on Facebook.
Town of CHINO VALLEY
““Chino’s a great place. It’s a laid-back and country kind of town. It’s changed a lot since we moved here in ’82. It’s a little more populated, which is going to happen. You can’t stop that. I love Chino Valley and the friendly people who live
here.” - Mayor Jack Miller
Chino Valley Police Building Groundbreaking
Behind Town Hall and the center of town, the new Chino Valley Police Department (CVPD) building broke ground on Nov. 17, 2021. Town officials, staff, police personnel and members of the public attended.
Mayor Jack Miller drove the back hoe to officially break ground. Police Chief Charles Wynn says he is extremely happy and proud about the new building. CVPD moved into its current facility in 1990, and since the department’s office staffing has tripled in size (currently 26 sworn officers).
The new building will be able to accommodate all of the needs of a growing police department and offers with better visibility and access to the public.
CV Honored for Economic Development
Chino Valley recently received two awards for Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence from the Arizona Association for Economic Development.
Maggie Tidaback, Chino Valley’s economic development project manager and an AZED PRO, was named Economic Developer of the Year for a small community.
The Town received a Golden Prospector Award of Merit for its website Discover Chino Valley.
The Arizona Association of Economic Development serves as the leading statewide advocate for responsible economic development since 1974. The group’s foundation has been rooted in three fundamental pillars that continue to affect positive change and increase Arizona’s competitive position to attract investment and create jobs: Educate. Advocate. Collaborate.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Chino Grand Prix April 16-17, www.azopracing.com
Chino Bandito UTV Fest May 27-May 30,
chinobandito. utvoffroadadventures.com
Town of
DEWEY-HUMBOLDT
““Welcome to Arizona’s Country Town. We are growing with new businesses in the area and our quad city areas are welcoming new residents from all over this great country. We have so much to offer for all ages with activities accommodating for those who prefer indoor or outdoor. “We take pride in our li’l town and keeping its history for all the travelers passing through. Stop by and say hello.” - Mayor John Hughes
A Short History Lesson
Levi Bashford, a prominent Prescott store owner and businessman, built the first mill here in 1876. Iron King, DeSoto, McCabe and Blue Bell are a few of the mines old timers in Humboldt remember.
All this ore needed a smelter. The first one was called the Val Verde, giving the area its first name. Then Cecil Fennell acquired land and water rights for the smelter in the 1880s and Val Verde became a company-owned town.
After the smelter changed ownership in early 1904, it burned down in September that year. It would take until 1906 for a new owner to build a new, bigger and better smelter.
Since Val Verde Smelter no longer was involved, the name “Humboldt” was selected in 1905, the namesake of the German naturalist, explorer and traveler Baron Friedrich Heinrich von Humboldt. (However, it is quite unlikely he ever traveled to this part of Arizona).
Humboldt had the first dialing telephone system in the region.
ADEQ Takedown of Humboldt Smelter
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality started prep work Jan. 3 on taking down the smelter at the Iron King Mine Humboldt Smelter Superfund site. Dismantling started Jan 18 and the project was expected to last six weeks.
The former smelter brick smokestack and attached brick structure have been naturally deteriorating through the years. ADEQ will encapsulate the materials on site and install additional fencing to limit access to the area.
The former Humboldt Smelter property is about 0.5 miles east of State Route 69, south of the intersection at Third and Main streets. The Environmental Protection Agency manages the federal Superfund site and will address the encapsulated material.
Contact deweysmelter@azdeq.gov with your project-related questions. For further information on the project scope go to https://static.azdeq.gov/wpd/dh-stack-2021dec.pdf.
