Approve FFY 2023 State of Arizona Homeland Security Grant Program Award Reallocation, Grant 230409-01 between the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, to purchase ballistic helmets, in the amount of $1,907, effective May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026.

This project, SWAT Regionalization and Undercover Officer Protection, provides tactical resources and personnel for high-risk situations that go beyond the abilities of a normal police response, and provides protection for undercover officers conducting investigations into drug and human smuggling related to the Mexican border. The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office currently sustains a SWAT team allocated for twenty (20) tactical personnel, five (5) Medics from Fry Fire Department, and five (5) crisis negotiators. This year we have two (2) signed agreements, one with the Benson Police Department and one with the Bisbee Police Department, to allow their personnel to become members of the SWAT team as operators and crisis negotiators. Additionally, this year (2025) we are working to expand this regionalization concept to the Willcox Police Department and the Sierra Vista Police Department in an effort to establish a tier 1 SWAT team mirrored by the National Tactical Officers Association standards (NTOA). Furthermore, investigations into drug and human smuggling have led to approximately 30 undercover officers (UC) and confidential informant involved investigations requiring a Personnel Rescue Team (PRT) for officers and informants. This unforeseen increase in UC investigations, due to increased smuggling and drug activity, has strained our operator’s ability to cover operations, demonstrating another reason to increase the SWAT team’s size to cover the needs of our investigative units. The purchase of additional SWAT equipment and specialized training is a necessity to increase the capabilities of the team. The regionalized team is and will continue to be available to all adjoining counties to Cochise County, seven (7) municipalities in Cochise County, the Department of Public Safety, US Customs and Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Agency and all federal partners.

The $1,907 is reallocated from the original money in 2023.  The funds will be used to purchase ballistic helmets for SWAT operators.  Ballistic helmets have a 5-year shelf life and are rotated out of service at the end of 5 years.

If approved, the Sheriff's Department will move forward with the purchase of ballistic helmets.

We will not purchase the ballistic helmets and continue our search for other funding sources.  The approval letter from the State Homeland Security Grant Program will be returned unsigned and the funds will not be accepted.  

Please complete/sign two original documents (230409-01 SHSGP subrecipient agreement number) and we will send them to the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.