AIMS TO USE VOLUNTEERS TO BOLSTER PUBLIC SAFETY AFTER 17% BUDGET CUT
Phoenix, AZ - Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio today announced plans to significantly increase the number of qualified armed volunteer posse as a way to boost public safety.
Arpaio says the move is needed to combat the potential ill effects of the recent actions by the Board of Supervisors to cut his budget, resulting in a hiring freeze of patrol deputies and a mandate of all deputies to take furlough days.
Nineteen new qualified armed posse volunteers will graduate today, Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 6:30PM from the Sheriff’s Training Academy, 2627 South 35 Avenue. Arpaio says he plans to step up his recruiting methods to attract more men and women to join his volunteer armed posse through more public outreach.
“The public has a desire to help local law enforcement when times are tough. I am banking on their generosity of time and energy to help my deputies keep our communities safe,” Arpaio says.
Arpaio is seeking primarily those who wish to be trained and qualified to carry and use a weapon. Currently there are about 300 qualified armed posse members in a volunteer force now numbering nearly 2,600 men and women, the largest volunteer posse in the nation.
The Sheriff says to be armed qualified volunteers must supply their own weapons and graduate from training class consisting of 160 hours law enforcement instruction including 60 hours of actual range/shooting practice.
“We are not simply gathering people off the streets, giving them guns and telling them to go out and arrest bad guys,” Arpaio says.
“Our armed posse volunteers receive the same amount of firearms training as our deputies,” Arpaio says. “They are and will continue to be an instrumental force behind public safety in Maricopa County.”
Sheriff Arpaio will be attending the 6:30 graduation today to address the newlytrained volunteers and to give them direction on their responsibilities as armed posse volunteers.
Maricopa County Sheriff Office
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