Border security grant at issue again for Pima Supes

Reconsidering Federal grant at this week’s meeting

FOR BORDER SECURITY?THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT WILL BEBACK IN FRONT OF THE PIMA COUNTYBOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOMORROW.GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FORJOINING US.

I'M PAT PARRIS.I'M VALERIE CAVAZOS.THE BOARD HAS CONSIDERED SEVERALTIMES -- WHETHER TO LETTHE SHERIFF STAY IN THE PROGRAM-- CALLED OPERATION STONEGARDEN.KGUN9 ON YOUR SIDE'S CRAIG SMITHIS HERE WITH MORE ON WHYSUPERVISORS COULD END UP TALKINGAGAIN ABOUT WHETHER TODROP OUT OF THE PROGRAM.CRAIG?FOR SHERIFF MARK NAPIER AND THEPIMA COUNTY SUPERVISORS,OPERATION STONEGARDEN IS THE HOTBUTTON ISSUE THAN NEVERSEEMS TO COOL DOWN.

DEBATE OVERTHE PROGRAM HAS BEEN AREGULAR PART OF SUPERVISORSAGENDAS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.CRITICS SAY IT MAKES DEPUTIESTOO INVOLVED IN IMMIGRATIONENFORCEMENT.

NOW, THE COUNTYADMINISTRATOR SAYS THE PROGRAMIS BUSTING THE COUNTY'S BUDGETFOR PENSIONS.OPPONENTS SEE ACCEPTING THE LAWENFORCEMENT GRANTS AS HELPINGBORDER PATROL ENFORCEIMMIGRATION POLICIES THEYDON'T AGREE WITH.THE PROGRAM CALLED OPERATIONSTONEGARDEN HELPS PAY FOROVERTIME AND EQUIPMENT WHENAGENCIES LIKE THE PIMA SHERIFF'SDEPARTMENT, DO WORK RELATED TOBORDER SECURITY.

ANNUAL GRANTSFOR OVERTIME AND EQUIPMENT HAVERANGED AS HIGH AS ONE-POINT-FOURMILLION DOLLARS.BECAUSE OF CRITICISM,SUPERVISORS HAVE ALLOWED THESHERIFF THE ACCEPT GRANTS, BUTWITH CONDITIONS -- INMAY, CONDITIONS INCLUDED USINGSOME OF THE MONEY ASHUMANITARIAN AID FOR ASYLUMSEEKERS.

BUT FEDERAL AUTHORITIESTURNED THAT DOWN.

THAT RE-OPENS WHETHER THE COUNTY WILLLET THE SHERIFF STAY INSTONEGARDEN.SHERIFF NAPIER SAYS THE GRANTMONEY IMPROVES SAFETY IN GENERALBECAUSE IT HELPS COVER EQUIPMENTCOSTS AND PAYS FOR DEPLOYINGDEPUTIES IN REMOTE AREAS.IN A RECENT MEMO HE SAYS, "THISFUNDING ALLOWS US TO DEPLOYADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN RURALAREAS TO ADDRESSTRANSNATIONAL CRIME THREATSCOMING UP FROM THE BORDER.

THESETHREATS ARE REAL, UNDENIABLE ANDMUST BE ADDRESSED."BUT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CHUCKHUCKELBERRY SAYSEVEN IF FEDERAL MONEY PAYSSTONEGARDEN OVERTIME FORDEPUTIES, THE OVERTIME BALLOONSWHAT PIMA COUNTY PAYS IN LAWENFORCEMENT PENSIONS ONCE THOSEDEPUTIES RETIRE.HUCKELBERRY RECOMMENDS THATSUPERVISORS ACCEPT UP TO AHALF MILLION DOLLARS INSTONEGARDEN GRANT MONEY BUTWITH STRICT MONITORING OFOVERTIME.

HE ALSO SAYS PIMACOUNTYSHOULD LIMIT THE AMOUNT OFSTONEGARDEN MONEY IT ACCEPTSIN FUTURE GRANTS.THE SHERIFF IS ALSO SUGGESTINGADDING DEPUTIES TO CREATE ARURALDISTRICT NEAR THREE POINTS.HE SAYS THEY COULD ENHANCESECURITY IN REMOTE ARES BUTBE LESS INVOLVED WITH FEDERALLAW ENFORCEMENT.CRAIG SMITH, KGUN9 ON YOU