Public Affairs Unit
The Public Affairs Unit serves as the agency’s primary media liaison and in-house creative services provider through its public information officers (PIO) and creative staff. The public information officers resolve issues of mutual concern with media outlets and ensure the agency is providing necessary services and/or responses to the media regarding news stories concerning the agency. The creative services team produces a wide array of marketing materials for the agency including web-based graphics, printed brochures, pamphlets, posters, press conference displays, logos, video and photography.
Meet the Public Information Officers
Captain Keith Gephart
In December 2022, Captain Keith Gephart was appointed Commander of the Public Affairs Unit. Captain Gephart started his law enforcement career with the Department in July 2008. After graduating from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy, his first duty assignment was the Metro East District, which covers the eastern portion of the metro Phoenix area. As a trooper, Captain Gephart held assignments in patrol and with SWAT as a member of the Crisis Negotiations Team. During this time, Captain Gephart became a General Instructor, an HGN and Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) Instructor, A Field Training Instructor, and a law enforcement phlebotomist. After being promoted to sergeant in 2019, Captain Gephart held supervisory assignments in Highway Patrol as a Night Watch supervisor and Administrative Sergeant for the Metro Patrol Bureau. Gephart has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bob Jones University.
Raul Garcia
Raul Garcia has been a full-time professional PIO with the Department since 2013. Before joining AZDPS, Garcia served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Garcia began with the Department in 1999 as a cadet and was sworn in as a trooper in 2000. He was assigned to the southern Highway Patrol's District 6, stationed in Casa Grande, AZ. In 2003, he transferred to Highway Patrol District 7 Motors squad in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Additionally, during his time with the Department, Garcia served as a police motorcycle instructor and was a part of the Department's Honor Guard. In 2012, he transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division and as a detective he served on a task force that investigated financial, property and violent crimes associated with illegal immigration and human smuggling. Garcia retired as a sworn law enforcement officer in July 2013 and shortly there after began his professional staff career with the Department.
Bart Graves
Bart Graves has been a full-time professional PIO with the Department since 2007. Graves studied journalism and broadcasting at Northern Arizona University. His first radio news job was at KEOS in Flagstaff, AZ., where he was hired as a News Director upon graduation. For over 25 years, Graves worked as both a reporter and anchor for a number of radio and television stations in Phoenix and Tucson. Graves also won numerous press awards including the AP Reporter of the Year in 1997 and the AP First Place Award for the coverage of the Rodeo-Chedeski fire in 2002. In early 2005, Graves went to work as Communications Director for the Arizona Department of Corrections. In March 2007, he became the first civilian media relations coordinator hired by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. He served as the Public Relations Director at AZDPS for over four years. He is currently the Media Relations Specialist.
Additional Information
Contact
You can reach a Public Information Officer (PIO) by email.
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