U.S. Representative Juan Guadalupe Ciscomani said on April 18 that he fought to secure $4 million for the Tucson Police Department to replace technology that is more than 25 years old, following the line-of-duty death of Officer Adam Buckner.
The announcement comes as local and national attention focuses on modernizing law enforcement equipment, particularly after Buckner was killed while responding to a call when his patrol vehicle was struck at an intersection, according to his social media post. The statement followed the March 2024 incident involving Lead Police Officer Adam Buckner according to his social media post.
Ciscomani said, “Our officers deserve modern equipment to protect them as they work every day to keep our communities safe.”
Tucson Police Department officers continue to use patrol vehicles and communication systems originally deployed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The department has faced challenges maintaining response times and officer safety amid population growth in Pima County, where Tucson serves as the largest city. These conditions have increased calls for federal support to update critical infrastructure used daily by first responders according to the City of Tucson.
Across the United States more than 40 percent of local police departments report using technology and equipment older than 15 years according to federal surveys. Line-of-duty deaths involving vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of officer fatalities nationwide with 2025 data showing continued risks from outdated response vehicles. Such statistics have driven bipartisan discussions in Congress about targeted grants for law enforcement modernization according to Fox10 Phoenix.
Ciscomani represents Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District after being elected in 2022 and reelected in 2024. The Tucson native is the first naturalized American citizen from Mexico to serve in the U.S. House from Arizona according to his official biography.
