Former Arizona officer charged with unauthorized database access

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — A former Goodyear police officer is facing a felony charge after allegedly providing unauthorized access to a sensitive law enforcement database. Junior Alvidrez, who resigned from the department late last year, spoke exclusively to 12News about the charge — sharing his side of the story for the first time.

Alvidrez, 31, was charged this week with one count of unauthorized access to criminal history, a Class 6 felony. The charge stems from an incident in November 2023, just days after Thanksgiving. According to court documents, Alvidrez met a woman late one night in the parking lot of the HelloFresh warehouse in Goodyear and allowed her to use his department-issued computer while he was working an off-duty job.

During the interview, Alvidrez said he first met the woman while responding to a call involving her husband.

Police said the woman accessed her husband’s criminal record and ran several random license plate searches between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

A few days later, the woman filed a complaint with Goodyear police.

“I believe that this is 100% a revenge stint for her,” Alvidrez told 12News. He claimed the woman must have learned how to use the system by watching him.

When asked if he broke the law, Alvidrez said: “I mean, clearly I did. If this is happening, then clearly I violated the law.”

“I know the law. Did I know that in particular it was a violation for them to know that? No, because it happens on ride-alongs,” he said. “It’s not rocket science, and I’m sure anyone can do it … spending hours with an officer inside their car.”

Immediately after the complaint was filed, Goodyear police contacted the Professional Standards Bureau and placed Alvidrez on administrative leave the same day. He resigned less than a month later.

In February 2024, Alvidrez voluntarily surrendered his Arizona Peace Officer certification without admitting wrongdoing — effectively ending his law enforcement career in the state.

The Peoria Police Department led the criminal investigation. According to investigators, Alvidrez denied giving the woman access.

“I ran [her husband’s] car, I ran his information multiple times — the day of, the day prior, and a couple times before that — for the report. It’s a lengthy report, and you know that’s stuff we have to do, right?” he said.

Officers are required to take a certification test to access department systems. According to court documents, Alvidrez told investigators that another employee gave him the answers to that test — and as a result, he said, he didn’t know he was breaking the law.

Alvidrez said he was unaware that formal charges had been filed until 12News contacted him on Friday.

“I hadn’t heard anything, so you are the very first one to tell me that I’m being charged,” he said.

Peoria police recommended the charge this week. Alvidrez is scheduled to make his first court appearance on May 9.