In March 2021, Sheriff Dannels received a request from Arizona legislators to provide them a list of unmet needs to address border security concerns. Sheriff staff built a list of additional deputies, additional Arizona National Guard personnel, overtime, vehicles, jail costs for inmates committing border-related crimes, optics, and border camera equipment. During 2021, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) saw a surge of unlawful border crossers along the International Border between Arizona and Mexico. This surge was confirmed by the increasing numbers of unlawful border crossers images being generated by our border camera system and border calls for service. Due to this surge, Arizona legislators introduced two bills to help Arizona border counties stem the flow of unlawful border crossers into the United States. On June 30, 2021, Governor Ducey signed House Bill 2893 and Senate Bill 1823.
House Bill 2893 amended Arizona Revised Statute 26-105 establishing the Border Security Fund to be administered by the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. The Border Security Funds may be used for:
- Preventing Human Trafficking.
- Preventing Entry into the United States of:
- Aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States,
- Terrorists and Instruments of Terrorism,
- Contraband, including narcotics and other controlled substances.
Senate Bill 1823 Established the following Supplemental Appropriation for Cochise County and CCSO:
- $3,700,000 distributed to Cochise County for the costs associated with the purposes provided in section 26-105,
Due to Senate Bill 1823 and Arizona Revised Statute 26-105, the Arizona Department of Emergency Management (AZDEMA) under the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Management was tasked to be the program manager. On September 1, 2021, AZDEMA established the application and programmatic requirements guidelines. On September 22, 2021, AZDEMA began a series of online virtual meetings in reference to Fiscal Year 2021 Border Security Fund Application Requirements and Guidelines. Over the next 3 months, CCSO staff worked with AZDEMA and resulted in the following agreement:
M21-0081 Agreement
Title: Cochise County, Prevent Human Trafficking & Prevent Entry into the United States
Effective dates July 1, 2021—June 30, 2025
Funding Value $3,700,000
Purpose:
- Prevent Human Trafficking
- Prevent Entry into the United States of:
- Aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States.
- Terrorists and instruments of terrorism.
- Contraband, including narcotics and other controlled substances.
Tasks:
- Purchase of supplies and equipment, in accordance with the budget approved by the State. Copies of all contracts are to be provided to the State upon request.
- Hire five (5) Border Operations Deputies and one (1) Project Director.
Currently, our Southern Arizona Border Cameras are processing 3,500 human images of unlawful border crossers out of the 30,000 to 40,000 images the system processes per month. Border Patrol Agents' encounters with migrants between ports of entry on the entire U.S.-Mexico border is far higher than in previous years at nearly 1.66 million. The Border Patrol Tucson Sector has seen an increase in single-adult encounters, increasing 223% in March 2021 compared to March 2020. Our border cameras appear to cooperate the statistics provided by Border Patrol that most of our human images are single adults.
This agreement is truly a multidimensional expenditure of funds. It involves unlawful border crosser enforcement, disrupting transnational criminal organizations, documenting border criminal activity, locating evidence whether for humanitarian or criminal pursuits, preventing border wildland fires, preventing deadly border vehicle pursuits, humanitarian rescues or recovery of unlawful border crossers, recovery of deceased persons, and security of our residents. These are complex issues being placed as a burden on all residents of Cochise County due to this surge of unlawful border crossers. The personnel and equipment requested in this agreement will help in achieving the goals as outlined in Arizona Revised Statutes 26-105. The break-down of this funding agreement follows:
Personnel/Fringe — Of the 15 counties in the State of Arizona, four (4) of those counties are on the international border with Mexico. Cochise County is responsible for 83 miles of that border with federal, state, and local partners. Cochise County Sheriff’s Office has developed special units to combat border-related crimes. The Southeast Arizona Border Region Enforcement (SABER) and the Financial Crimes Units are multi-agency task forces targeting narcotics and human smuggling operations. They have been very successful. However, due to changes in border policies, Cochise County is seeing an out-of-control influx of unlawful border crossers. Our calls for service reference Border Patrol assistance, trespassers, failure to yield during traffic stops, and suspicious activity have seen major increases over the last several months. It is the goal to hire five (5) border operation deputies and one Project Director for Border Operations/Liaison officer for a period of 4 years to relieve the pressure being placed on our patrol deputies. The Project Director for Border Operations is designed to be an executive level deputy. He/she would be deputy responsible for coordinating the border funds/expenditures, financial/management reports, enforcement operations, internal/external dissemination of information, public relations, and liaison efforts with federal, state, and local partners. The five (5) deputies will be experienced officers handling calls for service regarding border-related crimes, conducting preventive patrols/operations and assisting Border Patrol with unlawful border crossers under the guidance of the Project Director. These positions are critical in the Sheriff’s Office's attempts to ensure the security and safety for all the people in Cochise County.
Supplies over $5,000 — The drones (“Drones”) will be used for border-related activities such as mapping smuggling routes, documenting crime scenes, locating evidence, enhancing situational awareness, wildland fires, vehicle pursuits, drug, and public safety operations. The drone software (“Software”) will help search and rescue responders and law enforcement plan their search patterns for lost, deceased or subjects attempting to avoid detection in our desert/mountainous terrain. The five (5) (“K2500 Chevrolet”) trucks will be replacement vehicles for our Southern Arizona Border Enforcement Team (SABRE). SABRE vehicles are worn out due to the rough terrain they travel on, maintaining their camera equipment on the border. The four (4) (“Chevrolet Tahoe’s”) and three (3) (“K1500 Chevrolet”) trucks will be used by the Sheriff’s Assist Team (SAT). SAT and Search and Rescue (SAR) members. Both groups need additional units for their operations. Weekly they respond to crime scenes, traffic incidents and search and rescue operations related to border activity. Cochise County is the 38th largest county in the lower 48 states. We need to deploy additional units to rural SAT and SAR members who can respond quicker to unfolding public safety scenes. The detention vehicle (“Large Capacity Detention Transport Vehicle”) will be used to transport border-related inmates to doctor appointments, court hearings and trials. It is a state-of-the-art vehicle with the technology needed today to transport inmates safely.
Supplies under $5,000: The drones (“Drones”) will be used for border-related activities such as mapping smuggling routes, documenting crime scenes, locating evidence, enhancing situational awareness, wildland fires (often caused by lost or cold unlawful border crossers), vehicle pursuits, search and rescue missions. The drone software will help search and rescue responders and law enforcement plan their search patterns for lost, deceased or subjects attempting to avoid detection in our desert terrain. Typically, these drones are smaller for quick deployment during rapidly evolving operations at the border. The laptops (“Laptops”) will operate the mapping software being used by Search and Rescue (SAR) members and border deputies for border-related incidents. The IV catheters (“Catheters”) are used by qualified SAR medical personnel to administer fluids directly into the bloodstream of persons in extreme distress in the desert. The drone batteries (“Drone Batteries”) and catheters are expendable supplies to maintain operations. The SAR helmets and headsets (“Helmets & Headsets”) are used by the search and rescue operators that are qualified in air operations. Every 120 days, the Arizona Department of Public Safety Rescue helicopters come to Cochise County to re-certify the SAR air operators. SAR maintains 10 air operators for continuity of operations. Their existing helmets and headsets are worn out and need replacement. The additional push to talk adapters (“Push to Talk Adapters”) will be used on existing headsets by SAR ground support personnel. The stokes basket with wheel (“Titanium Stokes Litter Wheel & Handles”) will make carrying a rescued person out of a desert/mountainous area easier by supporting the weight of the rescue person and traversing rough terrain. The SAT and SAR volunteers are key elements in handling border-related tasks that would otherwise tie up our deputies for hours. The dual-band mobile radios (“Dual-Band Mobile Radios”) are for the new SAT/SAR vehicles. These mobile radios will be programmed to talk to many public safety organizations throughout Arizona. Cochise County spent a substantial amount of money rebuilding the first responder radio system. Coverage area with these mobile radios is key to conducting safe SAT/SAR operations.
Expenditures Personnel for 4 Years $1,788,710
Fringe (ERE) for 4 Years $1,040,488
Equipment (Over $5,000 per Item) $751,972
Supplies (Items costing less than $5,000 per unit) $118,830 |
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