Sheriffs Condemn Reckless Pima County Partisans

Alexandria, VA - The National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) released the following statement concerning the Pima County, AZ Board of Supervisors no vote on valuable law enforcement funding.

"Operation Stonegarden funding is critical to border counties, providing additional capacity to deploy personnel and purchase equipment to combat transnational crime threats.  Additionally, it ensures effective and appropriate cooperation and collaboration between local and federal law enforcement to address public safety issues," said Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier.

Sheriff Napier continued: "The Board of Supervisors rejected this critical funding, despite clear evidence of its public safety value and letters of support from every law enforcement agency head in the county.  The Board was clear in its reasoning that this was to protest immigration policies and practices coming out of Washington DC.  The Board, knows full well that this action does nothing to improve the immigration policies and practices it finds objectionable. In fact, it jeopardizes public safety for the citizens of the county. Public safety is not a partisan, political or ideological issue.  Public safety is a community and quality of life issue. This pursuit should be thoughtfully divested from partisan politics."

"The Board of Supervisor’s decision was a partisan action by a local government to put partisan politics ahead of the community safety," NSA Executive Director and CEO Jonathan Thompson said. "This is an appalling abuse of civic duty and responsibility. When the federal government offers assistance, state and local governments except these of funds to offset expenses to local taxpayers. However, a small group of partisans chose to pressure the local government and ignored the needs of local law enforcement sworn to protect its citizens."