Phoenix police chief reassigned amid stats review

PHOENIX – Phoenix officials have reassigned the city's police chief amid scrutiny over kidnapping statistics that were used to win a federal grant.

City Manager David Cavazos said at a Thursday news conference that Jack Harris will no longer oversee day-to-day operations of Phoenix police.

He says the executive assistant chief, Joe Yahner, will serve as acting police chief while a group of independent experts reviews the department's reporting processes and kidnapping statistics.

U.S. Justice Department auditors also are reviewing the numbers. Phoenix has frozen any spending of the grant money, which would support a squad that investigates kidnappings.

In Phoenix, people tied to immigrant and drug smuggling often are kidnapped and held for ransom.