Residents tell Chandler council canal safety is worsening; one urges Bureau of Reclamation to respond

During the Jan. 22 Chandler City Council meeting, two unscheduled public commenters raised concerns about downtown vibrancy and about safety and enforcement along the city’s consolidated canal.

Noah James Markham introduced himself as a Tempe resident and used his three-minute public comment to argue for more permissive public behavior in some contexts, encourage additional downtown development and events (including Pride and improvements at Chandler Mall), and to ask for more women on the Chandler Police Department.

Brook Beal (transcript spells the name variously) focused his remarks on canal safety. Beal said he has repeatedly documented what he described as illegal activity along the consolidated canal, recounted a recent threat he said he received when photographing suspected violations, and stated that he has observed “upwards of 10 per day” in a single hour. He said he had invited the Bureau of Reclamation regional director to address the council in a public meeting about who has authority over enforcement on the canal and that he believes Chandler Police Chief Chapman has refused to enforce the laws he says are being broken.

“I don't believe it is [safe],” Beal said when asked about canal safety, and later asserted that “Chief Chapman has made it clear that he is not going to enforce the laws that are being broke.” The transcript records no on-the-record response from Chief Chapman or from Chandler Police during the meeting; the mayor told unscheduled speakers that staff would follow up.

Beal warned council members that improvements to nearby Fry Road could increase canal use and said the city should clarify enforcement roles to reduce confrontation. He asked for an in-person appearance by the Bureau of Reclamation’s regional director so the public record would reflect who has authority over the corridor.

The council did not take formal action during the meeting on these public-comments items; the presiding officer said staff would follow up with the speakers.