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Police K9 United, was working a relief shift for an absent employee.

It was something Officer Farrar often did because it was his nature to serve the department whenever help was needed.

“He didn’t have to be there that night,” Schuhrke noted.

Officer Farrar’s kind, generous nature was a recurring theme among all the anecdotes that were shared by the large crowd of grieving officers and civilians.

It also was mentioned within hours after his death when Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan held a pre-dawn news conference April 30 to announce the loss of his man.

“Every day he came to work, he made a difference,” an emotional Duggan said. “In the course of 18 years, he touched many lives.

“So I just ask that you keep Chris’ family in your prayers and just take a moment and remember and be mindful of the brave men and women who are out there daily helping to keep our community safe.”

Officer Farrar was described as a dedicated public servant and his work was acknowledged in 2010 after his agency honored him with its “Community Service Award.”

He held multiple positions throughout the department during his career, including the patrol division and bicycle team prior to his assignment to the K9 unit – a job those who knew him said he had long sought.

“Christopher received numerous commendations and accolades from community members, business owners, co-workers, and supervisors during his career,” the department said in a release.

“He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor in 2004, the Community Service Award in 2009, the Spotlight Award in 2019, and a four-time recipient of the Lifesaving Award.”

Noting that the slain officer is survived by his mother and father, brother, sister, daughter, two sons and grandchild, the department release also stated, “He was a son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather and dedicated police officer.” Tributes and expressions of sympathy for Officer Farrar flooded social media within hours after his death was announced.

“It’s just tragic,” said Chandler Councilman Matt Orlando. “These guys and gals put their life on the line every day and we just got to keep supporting them and making a better police force.”

Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, other City Council members and county Supervisor Jack Sellers all expressed condolences.

Police departments across Arizona lowered their flags half-mast and paid tribute to him, as did numerous local and state officials.

Ordinary citizens also posted numerous expressions of grief and gratitude.

“My heart aches for the family of this officer,” wrote a man on a Gilbert community Facebook page. “These men and women are true heroes. They wake up every day and put their life on the line to protect and serve. May he RIP.”

Attendees at the May 1 memorial recalled Officer Farrar’s willingness to volunteer for church activities or to offer his mentorship to aspiring police officers.

He was always full of energy, Schuhrke said, and seemed to embody the eagerness of a manic cartoon character.

Officer Rico Aranda

People posted handwritten notes in tribute of Officer Farrar at the May 1 memorial serice and then hung them with clothespins on a special wall for his family. (Pablo Robes/Staff)

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Arrest report describes harrowing encounter

BY CECILIA CHAN

Staff Writer

A Tolleson man accused of ramming a stolen car into a group of officers, killing Chandler Officer Christoper Farrar and severely injuring a Gillbert officer, remains in jail on a $3-million cash bail.

Jonathon J. Altland, Jr., 25, faces a first-degree murder charge of Chandler Officer Christopher Farrar, 50. A preliminary hearing was set for May 10.

Gilbert Officer Rico Aranda suffered head injuries during the April 29 violent confrontation but was showing signs of improvement, according to Gilbert Police.

“We are encouraged by Gilbert Police Officer Rico Aranda’s recovery progress,” Gilbert Police said May 3. “We are happy to report that he is responding well to treatment and we expect him to be transferred within a couple days out of ICU and into neurological treatment and recovery.”

Altland worked for FPS Civil LLC, according to police documents. Very little detail about Altland was included in the report.

His record appears limited to several traffic violations, including a stop-sign civil infraction in January. and in October 2020, he was cited for reckless driving and driving over 85 mph, according to Maricopa County Justice Courts. The latter, a criminal case, was adjudicated.

Altland purchased his house in Tolleson with a girlfriend in 2019, according to county property records.

The April 29 incident began after Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop Altland for speeding in a yellow pickup truck. It was later determined the pickup was stolen.

As Altland began to yield, he started shooting at the deputy’s vehicle, according to police.

Altland then fled north on State Route 87, reaching speeds of over 100 mph before crashing through a gate at Chandler Municipal Airport, where he drove onto the runway, police said.

He left the airport and drove the wrong way on surface streets and then on the Loop 202 Santan Freeway as Chandler and Gilbert police, Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers and PCSO gave chase Gilbert Police were alerted to the pursuit at 10:35 p.m.

Altland then crashed his vehicle on the northern embankment of the 202 west of Val Vista Drive and fled on foot.

He entered the maintenance area of the San Tan Ford dealership at the Motorplex Loop and was confronted by a janitorial staff. Two custodians observed Altland with a handgun.

Police said Altland threatened the dealership manager, “stating he had a gun and would shoot him,” police said.

The manager followed Altland out to a vehicle bay area and was told to turn off the lights. The manager responded he could not do so and fled from the service bay.

Meanwhile law enforcement had surrounded the building.

Altland stole a vehicle and crashed through a closed bay door.

“The suspect sped out of the service bay area, veering and accelerating directly towards one group of officers who feared for their lives and discharged their firearms,” the police documents read. “The suspect did not stop and continued fleeing through the parking lot and drove directly toward” Farrar, fatally striking him.

Altland continued what police called “an intentional attack,” driving toward other officers in the parking lot, who fired their weapons at him.

Altland next struck another officer and then slammed his car into a parked vehicle, directly injuring Aranda who was near it, police said.

Police reported six people in total were injured by the suspect, including the dealership manager.

According to Gilbert Police, Pinal County deputies were expected to submit charges related to its involvement with the initial traffic stop and attempted murder of an officer and Chandler Police will be submitting charges related to the suspect entering the airport.

The suspect in Officer Farrar's death crashed this stolen truck that he drove from Eloy into a fence at San Tan Ford in Gilbert. (Courtesy of ABC15)

Officer Farrar first to die on duty this year

BY CECILIA CHAN

Staff Writer

The Chandler police officer slain by a car thief in Gilbert April 29 is the first East Valley policeman killed in the line of duty this year and apparently the first in Arizona.

Officer Christopher Farrar, an 18-year veteran of the department, died after he was struck by the driver of a stolen vehicle, according to law enforcement.

Officer Farrar’s death marked seven years since a member of the Chandler Police force was killed on the job, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a nonprofit organization.

With his death, Chandler Police now have lost five officers who died while performing their job. In 2016, Officer David Smith Payne was killed after a drunken driver rear-ended his police motorcycle, which was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Chandler Boulevard and Pennington Drive.

And, Officer Carlos Luciano Ledesma was killed in 2010 while conducting an undercover narcotics operation at a home in Phoenix, according to the officer memorial site.

Before him, there was Officer Robert Nielsen, who was killed in an automobile accident while responding to another accident call in 2002. His death was one of more than a hundred officers’ deaths that occurred because of design defaults in Ford Crown Victorias, a then-popular patrol car.

Chandler Officer James Snedigar was fatally shot in 1999 while performing a SWAT raid on armed robbery suspects near Priest Drive and Ray Road.

Chandler Police also recorded a death of one of their own in January not directly linked to his line of work. Officer Tyler Britt, a 19-year member of the force, died from complications of COVID-19.

Gilbert has lost officers prior to this year.

At the time of Gilbert Sun News’ deadline, an unidentified Gilbert officer was struck by the same vehicle that killed Officer Farrar. That Gilbert officer was reported to be in critical condition. The last Gilbert officer to die on duty was Lt. Eric Shuhandler, who was fatally shot in 2010 when he stopped a vehicle occupied by two men near the intersection of Val Vista and Baseline roads in Gilbert.

A wild chase ensued before police captured the killers after a gunfight on US60 near Superior. Both killers are serving life sentences.

In 2006, Gilbert Officer Rob Targosz died after his motorcycle was struck by a drunken driver at the intersection of Price Road and Apache Boulevard in Tempe during a DUI checkpoint exercise. In Mesa, two officers have died in the line of duty, the last in 1994 and Tempe Police has seen five officers die with the last death in 2006.

To date, according to the memorial page, Arizona has lost 264 law enforcement officers in the line of duty since the 1880s.

In the state, Phoenix Police Department led with the most fallen officers at 41, followed by Arizona Department of Public Safety with 30.

For 2021 so far, 118 law enforcement officers have died nationwide, according to the memorial page.

And since 1776, there have been 24,870 known line of duty deaths in America, the memorial page stated.

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“He was like Speedy Gonzales,” Schuhrke said. “There were no slow speeds for him – 100 miles an hour all the time.”

“It’s a big loss for our department,” Schuhrke added. “It’s a big loss for our community.”

Officer Kyle Liggitt credited Officer Farrar with making him a better police officer by always offering helpful advice and support.

Officer Farrar was quick to share his policing experiences, Liggitt said, or take a moment to check in with a rookie officer who had just joined the force.

“He had just this ability to find newer, younger officers and to just give them wisdom and to make them better officers,” Liggitt added.

Everyone in the department has spent the last few days asking lots of “what if” questions, Liggitt said, and contemplating whether Officer Farrar’s life could have been saved if different steps were taken on the night of the incident.

“All of us at this department are hurting,” the officer said. “But we also know that, unfortunately, this is part of our job.”

The group of mourners included members of law enforcement from various agencies, church leaders and elected officials who wanted to publicly express their support for the officer’s family.

Chandler Vice Mayor Mark Stewart tried to hold back tears as he emotionally conveyed his sympathy for everyone who will miss Officer Farrar.

“We know Chris is a hero and his name needs to be celebrated,” Stewart said. “He is a true hero.”

Friends described Officer Farrar as having an endearing curiosity for spirituality and would often lean on his faith to get through the grueling work of a cop.

Pastor Brian Jobe said Officer Farrar’s sudden death has struck a “brutal blow” on his church community and offered the services of his church’s counselors to mourners who may be struggling with their grief.

Compass Church additionally set up a memorial in their courtyard that allowed mourners to drop off flowers or to write notes to the fallen officer.

Tim Kennedy said he met Officer Farrar at Compass Church a couple years ago and quickly got to know the officer by going on a ride-along with him around Chandler.

Officer Farrar loved to share his policing work with members of the public, he said, and demonstrating what the job really entailed. But beyond policing, Officer Farrar seemed the proudest while praising the accomplishments of his family.

“Chris loved his mom and dad,” Kennedy said. “He talked about them all the time.”

Some friends noted Officer Farrar’s continuous willingness to help someone out during a time of need.

“There will never be another Chris Farrar,” said friend Susan Simmons.

She described him as her “lifeline” in Arizona after she relocated to Chandler several years ago. Officer Farrar would always come to her house to fix something or to help with a project he did so without complaining, Simmons said.

“I’m going to miss this man with everything I have,” she added. “He will never be forgotten for all the things he did, the people he helped.”

A fundraising effort has been launched for Officer Farrar’s family by The 100 Club, which helps the families of officers killed in the line of duty.

It can be reached at 100club.org/ donate.

Mourners gathered at Compass Christian Church in Chandler May 1 for a candlelight vigil in honor of Officer Christopher Farrar. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

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in Chandler,” he said, “reducing some of the burden placed on our front-line officers.”

The most expensive items listed in the city’s spending plan is an $11-million upgrade to Chandler’s street lights and $5 million for improving sports fields at Snedigar Recreation Center.

Other proposed projects include spending $500,000 to upgrade the city’s traffic camera system, $2.6 million for installing more bicycle-detection cameras at various intersections and $150,000 for expanding the city’s partnership with Lyft.

Last year, Chandler launched a pilot program with the ride-sharing company to provide discounted lifts to residents living in south Chandler.

The federal money could possibly allow for Lyft’s service area to expand into other parts of the city.

Another $250,000 of the federal aid could be spent on installing protective railings along the city’s bike lanes a service that residents have been asking for in transportation surveys administered by the city.

“People want a little bit more safety around the bicycle lanes on our major thoroughfares in Chandler,” Wright noted.

Intel’s recent announcement of its forthcoming expansion has motivated the city to reserve some federal funding money for the infrastructure needs that come with economic development.

The city has set aside $4.1 million for building out the roads, sidewalks, or sewer lines that might be needed to accommodate future developments.

The city’s plan further attempts to reverse some of the damage that’s been done to local businesses throughout the pandemic.

According to public records, tax revenue collected from Chandler’s hotel industry shrunk by 36 percent in November 2020 compared to the previous November. Revenue generated by entertainment venues dropped 42 percent in that time frame.

Officials are considering spending $200,000 of the new federal money to market and promote Chandler’s tourism industry and $1.5 million to assist local nonprofits.

Another $300,000 has been earmarked for an “angel fund” that encourages investors to support Chandler’s startups.