Dennis Garrett was appointed Phoenix Police Chief on October 3, 1991. During his 34 1/2 years with the Phoenix Police Department he worked all the divisions and major bureaus of the organization.

He is a native of Phoenix. He holds an Associate of Arts Degree from Glendale Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree from Northern Arizona University, and a Master of Public Administration Degree from Arizona State University. He is a member of the Honors Society of Phi Kappa Phi at Northern Arizona University. He was inducted into Arizona State University's College of Public Affairs Hall of Fame in October of 1994. In April 1997, he was inducted into the St. Mary's High School Alumnus Hall of Fame for being an Outstanding Public Administrator, and his biography appears in Who's Who in America. He was selected the 1997 "Man of the Year" for Phoenix, by Valley Leadership.

He is experienced in all major areas of police administration, with a consistent record of achievement in identifying, planning, and implementing long range organizational-wide programs. He has been successful in the application of management concepts, such as organizational development and management by objectives, in both staff and operational commands.

He is a member of professional and community organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Executive Research Forum, Valley Leadership, Phoenix Rotary Club, Arizona State University's College of Education Deans Advisory Board, and is also an honorary board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. He also volunteers his time with the "Kids at Hope" program.

Dennis Garrett retired from the Phoenix Police Department on May 8th 1998. Since his retirement from Phoenix, he has assumed the position of Director for the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Chief Garrett serves Rio Salado College as the Vice Chair of the National Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (NCLEET), and in that role provides the leadership necessary to build a national consensus among police executives across the United States regarding the BA degree in Police Science offered by Rio in a collaboration with Ottawa University.

email: dennis.garrett@riomail.maricopa.edu