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Captain Belinda Morales
Operations Division East
February 2025
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Operations Division East Change of Command
Lieutenant Al Baca was reassigned to the Workforce Management Section in the Administrative Resources Division. Although his time was short here in Ops East, he left a large imprint and elevated the standards and expectations in our division. Lieutenant Baca was clearly committed to the people and the mission of Operations Division East.
I would like to introduce our new Eastside Commander, Lieutenant Jason Bredehoft. He has served with the Tucson Police Department for 21 years and was promoted to Lieutenant in January. He has worked in a variety of assignments, including patrol, investigations, and SWAT. Jason previously worked in Ops East several years ago as a midnight patrol sergeant and as the division’s Neighborhood Crimes Section Supervisor. He is a proud resident of the Eastside and is glad to be working here again!
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ODE Professional Staff Investigator Issues Case Against Violent Juvenile Offender
TPD uses Professional Staff Investigators in addition to officers and detectives. Here's an example of how they add to the safety of the Tucson community.
On December 29th, the victims were walking their dog in an apartment complex in the 1800 block of South Pantano Road when they noticed two males wearing ski masks at an apartment. They again saw the males in a white Kia SUV. There was an exchange of words between both parties. The suspects exited the KIA SUV armed, and the driver, wearing a white ski mask, walked toward the victims with his gun pointed in their direction. The driver shot to the left of the victim’s head, then pointed the gun at his knees. The victim took out his phone to take a picture of the suspect’s license plate and called the police. The shooter entered the vehicle and drove north into the parking lot, leaving the passenger in the black ski mask behind.
When officers arrived, a witness said she heard the gunshot and her kids saw the gun. Officers located one 9mm live round, and one 9mm spent casing.
On January 9th, School Safety Officer Hofmann advised that a suspect matching the shooter’s description was observed driving a white Kia SUV and had brandished a gun at a gas station in the 8000 block of East 22nd Street. The vehicle returned to a registered owner who resides in the 1800 block of South Pantano Road. On January 11th, the male victim positively identified the suspect in a photo lineup.
On January 12th, due to the hard work of Professional Staff Investigator (PSI) Little-Mendez, a search warrant was obtained for the suspect’s residence and vehicle.
The suspect was located at his apartment by ODE’s Community Response Team and the search warrant was served by SWAT. Located inside the residence were a 9mm pistol, ammunition, and ski masks. The suspect was booked into the Pima County Jail.
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Traffic Stop, Burglary Call Yield Firearms
 On January 23rd, ODE Zebra Officers Stout and Sublette conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that had refused to stop during a previous traffic stop attempt. The driver ultimately fled on foot and was not located. Two handguns were found inside the vehicle.
On January 26th, ODE Patrol responded to the 2800 block of South Beck Drive for a report of a burglary in progress. Sergeant Guido and responding officers discovered the home with the garage door open and the front door unsecured. The residence was cleared and two males were located, both prohibited possessors. Narcotics paraphernalia and a handgun were seen in plain view. A search warrant was obtained and served by ODE CRT, locating a handgun, shotgun, rifle with drum magazine (above), ballistic vest, and other firearm accessories, including a suppressor (silencer), conversion kit (from semi-automatic to fully automatic), and magazines. Fentanyl pills and suspected fentanyl powder were also located.
The suspect in this case had a felony warrant for human smuggling, as well as a stop and arrest for felony flight and prohibited possessor from the traffic stop three days before.
ODE Statistics
Activity
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Type
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2025 Division Year to Date
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2025 Department Year to Date
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Calls for Service
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3,991
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17,349
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Officer-initiated Activity
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983
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4,660
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Gun-related Crime
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2
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21
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Homicide
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0
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13
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Traffic Citations
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369
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5,841
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Staffing
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Type
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2025 Division Year to Date
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2025 Department Year to Date
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Sworn Members
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105
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786
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Community Service Officers
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27
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146
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Professional Staff
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4
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275
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March
On January 20th, my daughter and I joined the community to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy by marching around the perimeter of Reid Park. Community members from across the city joined the march to foster unity, understanding, and a shared commitment to justice and equity for all. It is important to me that my children learn at an early age to support a deeper understanding and respect for multiculturalism.
Coffee With a Cop at Panera Bread
In January, Ops East leadership attended four neighborhood association meetings and one Coffee With a Cop event. It's always nice to connect with our Eastside community members. Thank you to all who attended!
Reminder: Early voting began on February 12th and election day is on March 11th. Please take the time to educate yourself (the City has information here: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Government/Office-of-the-City-Manager/Proposition-414) and cast your vote.
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Officer Bonanno and the Legacy Traditional School Incident
 On January 16th, a male, later identified as Daniel Hollander, was seen by parents in the parking lot of Legacy Traditional School, acting erratically. Officer Bonanno was working at the school as an off-duty officer, and was in a meeting with the vice principal at the time. Parents notified Officer Bonanno of the suspicious behavior, who immediately responded to the parking lot and saw that the male was no longer there.
In the meantime, the male had entered through an entryway that had been left unlocked for a scheduled food delivery. He walked into the school gymnasium and sat down, talking to himself. School photos were underway, and students were in the gym patiently awaiting their turn. School staff contacted Officer Bonanno via radio to report the male’s new location. Officer Bonanno responded and immediately detained the male, who had a loaded handgun and a knife in his possession.
The male was charged with Attempted Terrorism (F3), Interfering With an Educational Institution (F6), and Weapons Misconduct – School Grounds (F6).
Officer Bonanno’s swift response likely prevented a tragedy that day. He was presented with a Certificate of Commendation from Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne, in addition to a Valor in Action Award from Off Duty Management President Brian Manley.
Crime Prevention Tip
With all the news about sensitive personal and financial data potentially being accessed by malicious actors, there is something you can do to protect yourself – freeze your credit reports. It's free.
If you freeze your credit reports with the big three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, it creates a roadblock for people trying to take out a loan or apply for credit in your name. If you need to apply for a loan, you can temporarily unfreeze your accounts and then refreeze them again. For more information, and links to the three credit reporting agencies, visit: https://www.usa.gov/credit-freeze.
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ODE Recruiting Link
I need your help.
Please share this QR code with people who may be interested in a new and exciting career with the Tucson Police Department.
Save the QR code on your phone and share it with those who you think should be policing the Eastside.
I appreciate your help!
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