As part of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Smart Policing Initiative, the Glendale Police Department and the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety at Arizona State University found that convenience stores -- particularly Circle K's -- disproportionately contributed to crime and disorder in the city of Glendale. The Center reached out to other law enforcement agencies in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and in June 2011, they authored a report based on 2010 data from four cities: Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, and Tempe. The 2010 report revealed that, when compared to other convenience stores Circle K’s, were disproportionately responsible for crime and disorder, regardless of their neighborhood or city.

Maricopa County's Parks and Recreation Department now features one of the nation's largest county park systems, with 10 regional parks totaling more than 120,000 acres. In an effort to manage the future needs of residents and the growth of the county the Department decided to update the previous Master Plan for the Park System which was completed over 40 years ago. The Strategic System Master Plan evaluates all aspects of the Department’s management efforts and seeks strong community input into the elements and expectations they have for the system today and in the future.