After a national recruitment process, City Manager Jeff Barton has named Shannon Johanni as permanent Director of the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT). Johanni has been acting as Interim Director since February 2024.
During her tenure as Interim Director, Johanni led the publication of OAT’s first monitoring reports, with 22 total reports now completed and provided to the police department and the community.
The office also conducted the first-ever mediation between community members and police department personnel, met with thousands of community members, and, under the leadership of the Mayor and City Council, facilitated the inaugural meetings of the newly established Civilian Review Board (CRB). OAT serves as the administrative and operational support for the CRB, helping to ensure the board's mission of community oversight is effectively carried out.
"The selection of Shannon Johanni as the permanent director reflects her proven leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to accountability and transparency," said City Manager Jeff Barton. "Under her direction, OAT has made significant strides in building trust between the community and law enforcement, and I am confident she will continue moving the office forward."
Johanni brings more than 25 years of experience in the criminal legal field to this role. Prior to joining OAT, she served as an Assistant City Prosecutor with the City of Phoenix, a law clerk for the Honorable Peter B. Swann at the Arizona Court of Appeals, and a Criminal Justice Teaching Fellow facilitating peer courts. She also worked as a victim advocate in both a prosecutor’s office and a domestic violence shelter.
Between her time as a prosecutor and joining OAT, Johanni served as the Research Director at the Academy for Justice at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she developed and implemented the structure and strategic plan for the center’s violent crime project. At ASU, she also planned and executed stakeholder events addressing key issues in criminal justice reform, including policing and overcriminalization. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado and a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law.
“I am honored to continue serving the people of Phoenix in this role,” said Shannon Johanni. “The OAT team is proud of the progress we’ve made, and we look forward to building on this foundation to continue connecting to our communities and furthering transparency and accountability.”
The Phoenix City Council established OAT in May 2021 to review Phoenix Police Department administrative investigations. The office also ensures complaints against officers are handled fairly and objectively. After reviewing completed Police Department administrative investigations, OAT details whether the investigations were thorough and complete and may make recommendations to the Police Chief regarding training or policy or to improve future investigations.
Johanni begins her new role effective immediately.
