Action 17.
Regular Board of Supervisors Meeting - 10:00 am
County Sheriff
- Meeting Date:
- 10/07/2025
- Title:
- Operation Desert Guardian Equipment Grant
- Submitted By:
- Robert Watkins, County Sheriff
- Department:
- County Sheriff
Presentation:
No A/V Presentation
Recommendation:
Approve
Document Signatures:
BOS Signature Required
# of ORIGINALS
Submitted for Signature:
Submitted for Signature:
2
NAME
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
John Gjerde
TITLE
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
Captain
Mandated Function?:
Not Mandated
Source of Mandate
or Basis for Support?:
or Basis for Support?:
You will use this Agenda Item template if your item involves a Grant (whether a new or renewal grant). You also must attach the Grant Approval Form to the item before Finance will approve it. Select the SPECIAL LINKS on your left-hand menu and Click on "Grant Approval Form". Then complete the form, save it and attach it to your item (on the Attachments tab).
Information
Agenda Item Text:
Approve Agreement M25-0026 between the State of Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs(AZ DEMA) and the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, for equipment to support Operation Desert Guaurdian, in the amount of $748,900, effective March 10, 2025, through December 31, 2027.
Background:
Since March of 2025, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office has been participating in Operation Desert Guardian, a multi-agency anti-drug and human smuggling operation. This agreement is to fund the purchase of much-needed equipment to participate in such operations. This agreement funds equipment such as night vision goggles, ballistic shields, tru narc fentanyl testing equipment, forensic extraction devices and software, accident reconstruction equipment and many other important items. If this grant were not to be approved, our ability to continue to investigate such crimes would be diminished.
Department's Next Steps (if approved):
If the Board of Supervisors approves the grant, equipment will be purchased and investigations will continue.
Impact of NOT Approving/Alternatives:
If the grant/agreement is not approved, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office must find other funding sources for the purchase of said equipment. During that time, deputies will continue to be exposed to unsafe conditions. These conditions include handling deadly poisons suspected of being fentanyl with no safe method of conducting an evidentiary test of the drug, or performing critical operations without the proper equipment.
To BOS Staff: Document Disposition/Follow-Up:
If approved, please provide signed copies to Captain John Gjerde to be forwarded to Arizona DEMA.
Fiscal Impact
- Fiscal Year:
- 2025
- One-time Fixed Costs? ($$$):
- $748,900
- Source of Funding?:
- DEMA Grant
Fiscal Impact & Funding Sources (if known):
The fiscal impact of not approving this grant/agreement would mean the Sheriff's Office would not have the financial ability to purchase much-needed equipment to adequately investigate drug and human operations withinCochise County.