The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) concluded an administrative probe into the Round Valley Police Department on September 18, 2025, finding widespread lapses in policy compliance while forwarding two potential criminal matters to the Arizona Attorney General for further review. The probe, launched at the joint request of the mayors of Springerville and Eagar in mid‑August, examined officer credibility and procedural handling of complaints dating back to 2022 and 2023.

Local reporting and a 12News investigative special called "Duty and Deception" later provided fuller detail on allegations that prompted the review, including graphic claims that one officer repeatedly molested a 14‑year‑old and that another bar altercation produced a concussion. The White Mountain Independent reported on September 19 that DPS had wrapped the investigation and that further criminal review was underway, while other outlets documented the original request for the probe and the subsequent decision to withhold the full DPS report from public release.

The department at the center of the controversy serves roughly 3,000 residents across the twin towns, amplifying the stakes for families who rely on local policing. Key names tied to the investigation include resigned Chief Dayson Merrill, who faces perjury allegations in a 2025 deposition; former Officer Ismael Amaya‑Molina, arrested and stripped of certification following complaints of sexual abuse dating to 2022–2023; and Officer Sidney Aragon, associated with a 2023 assault and reported threats. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board is reviewing six officers, and the Apache County Attorney’s Office conducted a separate audit of Round Valley cases in July 2025.

Town leaders and residents have sharply criticized the decision to withhold the DPS findings. Springerville Councilmember Florencio Lozoya characterized the released material as incomplete and called for a more thorough review, while resident organizing and recall efforts have targeted Mayor Shelly Reidhead. Anonymously reported accounts from a mother identified as "Rhonda" and other community members underscore a pattern of complaints they say were not adequately addressed by the department, prompting concerns that victims—particularly children and domestic violence survivors—may be reluctant to report crimes in a community with limited law‑enforcement alternatives beyond the distant Apache County Sheriff's Office.

The administrative findings and the subsequent secrecy carry practical policy implications for local governance. At issue are procedural compliance, officer credibility under Brady‑related standards, record transparency, and the effectiveness of external oversight mechanisms. Interim Chief Jeff Sharp, appointed in October 2025, has pledged reforms; observers and residents are pressing for concrete steps such as public disclosure of the DPS report where permissible, independent audits of training and policies, and timely updates on the Attorney General’s criminal reviews.

For Apache County residents, the controversy raises immediate questions about trust, accountability and safety in a small‑town setting where municipal policing intersects with fragile social networks. The community’s next steps will hinge on whether town officials release additional findings, the outcome of AG reviews, and whether proposed reforms translate into measurable changes in reporting practices and officer conduct. Local officials, oversight boards and civic organizers say they will continue to monitor developments and press for transparency as the criminal and administrative processes proceed.