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Sheriff's Office nets funds to fight smuggling activities
$437,360 will be used to curtail drug and immigrant smuggling
By Shar Porier/Wick Communications
BISBEE - The Cochise County Sheriff's Office has received a piece of the $60 million pie from the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Stonegarden funding.
During a county Board of Supervisors meeting last month, $473,360 in federal funds was accepted as two intergovernmental agreements were approved. One agreement pays for the overtime of deputies in the program. The other is for funding equipment used in program operations.
Operation Stonegarden provides local law enforcement with funding to assist with illegal immigration and drug smuggling, said Cochise County Chief Deputy Rod Rothrock.
Though unable to supply details of the operational plans, he said, "Suffice it to say that the Sheriff's Office intends to conduct operations to influence those communities that are being negatively impacted by drug or alien smuggling operations. Another major element of our plan is to aggressively identify and recover stolen vehicles ..."
Rothrock assured the board members that all activities in regard to Stonegarden are worked by deputies on overtime that is paid through these funds.
"The number of officers that are engaged in these activities can vary ... Most of the operations are conducted in areas of the county where the regular smuggling routes remain active," Rothrock said. "Normally we don't participate in activities of the Border Patrol. It's not our intention to become subservient to the Border Patrol on issues of illegal immigration."
A portion of the funding grant allows the department to purchase two computerized video camera systems that can scan license plates to determine if they were stolen and refer any pertinent information back to the officer, he said.
The department also is purchasing a high-powered, long-range optical device with a night-vision component.
Another grant for $10,150 to the Sheriff's Office from the Oversight Council on Driving or Operating the Influence Abatement also was approved. The money pays for overtime so deputies can locate and apprehend people who have warrants issued for DUI offenses.
In other business, the three supervisors approved the final plat of the Rincon View Subdivision, an 87.3-acre, 27-lot development of site-built and manufactured homes just north of Interstate 10 in the J-Six/Mescal area with several conditions.
And an intergovernmental agreement between the county and Sierra Vista dealing with the Fry Drainage Way Improvement Project was approved. The county and Sierra Vista will fund part of the $568,105 Community Development Block Grant project by contributing $150,000 each. The project includes repair and replacement of the drainage way from North Second Street to Fifth Street in Fry Townsite.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors:
Accepted two grants for $350,079 received by the county Health Department for bioterrorism preparedness programs.
Approved the assignment of a deputy to the Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Approved two work sessions. In one, the supervisors will discuss entering a partnership with Chiricahua Community Health Care Centers Inc. to provide vaccinations for uninsured children. The second is a discussion about possible state legislative policy actions.
Herald/Review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692 or by e-mail at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
By Shar Porier/Wick Communications
BISBEE - The Cochise County Sheriff's Office has received a piece of the $60 million pie from the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Stonegarden funding.
During a county Board of Supervisors meeting last month, $473,360 in federal funds was accepted as two intergovernmental agreements were approved. One agreement pays for the overtime of deputies in the program. The other is for funding equipment used in program operations.
Operation Stonegarden provides local law enforcement with funding to assist with illegal immigration and drug smuggling, said Cochise County Chief Deputy Rod Rothrock.
Though unable to supply details of the operational plans, he said, "Suffice it to say that the Sheriff's Office intends to conduct operations to influence those communities that are being negatively impacted by drug or alien smuggling operations. Another major element of our plan is to aggressively identify and recover stolen vehicles ..."
Rothrock assured the board members that all activities in regard to Stonegarden are worked by deputies on overtime that is paid through these funds.
"The number of officers that are engaged in these activities can vary ... Most of the operations are conducted in areas of the county where the regular smuggling routes remain active," Rothrock said. "Normally we don't participate in activities of the Border Patrol. It's not our intention to become subservient to the Border Patrol on issues of illegal immigration."
A portion of the funding grant allows the department to purchase two computerized video camera systems that can scan license plates to determine if they were stolen and refer any pertinent information back to the officer, he said.
The department also is purchasing a high-powered, long-range optical device with a night-vision component.
Another grant for $10,150 to the Sheriff's Office from the Oversight Council on Driving or Operating the Influence Abatement also was approved. The money pays for overtime so deputies can locate and apprehend people who have warrants issued for DUI offenses.
In other business, the three supervisors approved the final plat of the Rincon View Subdivision, an 87.3-acre, 27-lot development of site-built and manufactured homes just north of Interstate 10 in the J-Six/Mescal area with several conditions.
And an intergovernmental agreement between the county and Sierra Vista dealing with the Fry Drainage Way Improvement Project was approved. The county and Sierra Vista will fund part of the $568,105 Community Development Block Grant project by contributing $150,000 each. The project includes repair and replacement of the drainage way from North Second Street to Fifth Street in Fry Townsite.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors:
Herald/Review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692 or by e-mail at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
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frank bowers wrote on Jan 12, 2009 1:47 PM:
Can any one understand as towhy this is not done they can scan my car on the toll road at 60 and get the information including the plate number as well as the toll pass, could it be they are not any money for greedy governors to make not to mention the greedy mayors and cities council.
O! it is a good question problem there is not one reason on earth except GREED.
The best of good byes to all from Austin, TX and
Frank Bowers "