UPDATE 12:15 p.m., April 7, 2026: Maricopa Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 78 President Colt Homan told InMaricopa the event is being held for “lodge members to see who is running for council so they can make the best choice/option for our city. It is important for our members to see what the vision is for our incoming council members whether they are running for re-election or running for the first time.”

Homan also stated the union has chosen to endorse Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr.

“Our lodge decides as a whole on who we decide to endorse and Council Woman Knorr was accepted by our lodge earlier this year … We will endorse anyone who is willing to speak to our lodge to work on the goals of public safety to meet the standards we need as a police department going forward,” he stated.

ORIGINAL STORY 6:45 p.m., April 6, 2026: Maricopa’s first responders are putting local candidates in the hot seat.

The police and firefighter unions will host a joint city council candidate forum next month to gauge how incumbents and challengers speak about public safety issues. The event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at Leading Edge Academy, 18700 N. Porter Road.

The May 6 forum will be open to the public and gives voters “an opportunity to hear firsthand where candidates stand on key public safety issues,” read a press release. The unions will ask questions focused on topics ranging from emergency services to long-term planning in the face of growth.

If time allows, candidates may also field screened questions from attendees.

This is the first such event hosted by the Maricopa Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 78 and the Professional Fire Fighters of Maricopa, IAFF Local 4561. Joshua Eads, president of PFFM, said they opted to host the event because “it is important that residents have a clearer understanding of where each candidate stands on these issues before the election.”

Sgt. Colt Homan, president of the police union, said he wants to ensure the city’s officers and firefighters have the support they need from future councilmembers.

“Our call volumes continue to rise, and it is important that city budgets keep pace with the growing needs of public safety … Those decisions begin with city council and the priorities they set for our community,” he said in the press release.

So far this election cycle, the fire union has only endorsed Councilmember AnnaMarie Knorr. In 2024, they endorsed Councilmembers Eric Goettl and Amber Liermann, as well as Pinal County Supervisor Rich Vitiello.

Eads said endorsements are given based on an internal review process and are not automatic.

“Candidates are generally evaluated based on their support for public safety, their understanding of the needs of police officers and firefighters, their willingness to engage with our organizations, and their positions on issues affecting the safety of the community and the ability of our departments to effectively serve the public,” he told InMaricopa.

A member of the police union did not respond to questions about endorsements; however, Knorr is the only candidate to publicly state she is endorsed by police.

The May event marks the third candidate forum of this election cycle. Previous forums were hosted by Republican organizations in the city, and participation so far has been limited participation to conservative candidates, despite city council being a nonpartisan body.