Showing posts with label La Paz County Task Force. Show all posts
Showing posts with label La Paz County Task Force. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
La Paz County Attorney disbands Narcotics Task Force
For more information on the recent strife between Task Force members and financial issues, see:
http://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/2013/05/la-paz-county-task-force-bleeds-money.htmlhttp://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/2013/05/chief-mendoza-responds-to-dfp-inquiry.htmlhttp://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/2013/05/sheriff-drum-fires-back-at-chief-mendoza.html
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Chief Mendoza Responds to DFP inquiry
Parker Live reported on the events:
http://www.parkerliveonline.com/2013/05/21/sheriff-and-town-of-parker-spar-over-task-force-property/
http://www.parkerliveonline.com/2013/05/21/sheriff-and-town-of-parker-spar-over-task-force-property/
Still, no minutes have been posted for the May 14th Special Meeting" as of close of business today.
Today, in an email response to yesterday's inquiry, Parker Police Chief Rod Mendoza sent the attached statement, with the comment , "The document was read during our council meeting."
Issues Concerning the Narcotic Task Force
During the last two years Parker Police Officers have been
the only members of the Task Force combating drug activity throughout the
entire county. The Sheriff’s Department has not assigned a deputy to assist us
until a few months ago. During these last two years Parker Officers have worked
effectively with the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA), HIDTA, Boarder Patrol, Mojave County Task Force, Phoenix PD Task Force
and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.
Last month The Task Force completed an eight month
investigation and served 10 arrest warrants on individuals for sales of drugs
and narcotics. Parker Officers have been the sole entity keeping the Task Force
operational during the last two years working cases throughout the County and
will continue operating as per the IGA agreement.
On the evening of May 14, 2013, the Parker Town Council was
fully informed that the County Administrator denied reimbursing the Town of
Parker operating funds for the Task Force building and salaries for the Task
Force officers. Historically the Town of Parker pays all Task Force bills and
then will be reimbursed from the RICO account which now controlled by the
County. However, by State Statue the County Attorney is supposed to be responsible
for controlling all RICO monies.
Currently the County has not reimbursed the Town since
February 2013 and now owes the Town over $63,000. The decision to close the Task Force building
was a financial move. The Town needed to be reimbursed for their expenditures.
The equipment removed from the building was simply relocated to the Parker PD
in order to continue working Task Force operations. Parker is still working
within the IGA and will continue to combat drugs that plague our county.
After the Task Force Building was closed for lack of payment,
the Task Force relocated to work from Parker PD. We then notified DPS Captain
Campbell, DEA agent in charge of La Paz County, Assistant Director of HIDA
Ralph Ogden and all three supported what we were doing and reconfirmed their
full support of our operations. There was never any criminal activity by this
move as the Sheriff incorrectly stated.
Our current Task Force IGA was signed by all entities in
2007 and renewed for another five years in October of 2012. The Sheriff Department now demands to
back-out of this agreement and sign a new agreement giving a majority of the
authority to the Sheriff’s department and away from the current NTF board. The
Sheriff wants control and complains about productivity even though they have
not had a single deputy assigned to the Task Force in two years. It was just a
few months ago he assigned a Lieutenant to the detail.
The current Task Force IGA consists of the County Attorney,
whom is the chairman, Quartzsite PD, the Sheriff’s department and Parker
PD. We have reached out to other
entities to become board members but the Department of Public Safety and DEA
have both stated they would rather just offer their full support whenever
needed.
I spoke with Border Patrol agent in charge of the Blythe
Station and he is working on an agreement to join our Task Force. The current
NTF board welcomes new board members to assist us in our mission.
The County Attorney is the Chairman of the Task Force and
has told the Sheriff numerous times that any new proposed IGA must be reviewed
and approved by all entities of the current IGA.
Our mission has never changed. We are committed to
eradicating the criminal activity surrounding the use and sale of drugs and
narcotic in our communities. We have and will continue to effectively work with
all Federal, State and Tribal agencies. We are looking forward to having the
county release the RICO funds to reimburse our officers and for the maintenance
of the Task Force building in order for us to resume normal operations.
Per Arizona State Statue the County Attorney is the chairmen
of the Task Force and we will patiently wait until he has had time to review
all the legal, State and Federal issues that need to be addressed in the
Sheriff’s proposed IGA.
In closing, the Town of Parker will always work with all
entities to enhance the quality of life and in the protection of all citizens
of La Paz County.
Monday, May 20, 2013
La Paz County Task Force bleeds money while internal feud escalates
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This morning, at the La Paz County Board of Supervisor's meeting, (Item 14 on the Agenda) The County Finance Director disclosed that the La Paz County Narcotics Task Force had exceeded it's budget by a whopping $245,000! The Task Force had only brought in about $25,000 in revenue so far this year. The Supervisors had little choice but to amend the current budget, but did not authorize any additional expenditures though the end of the fiscal year, June 30th.
A financial summary provided to the Board showed that the Task Force had $45,000 more in expenditures than in revenue it during the previous fiscal year.
An even more shocking disclosure was made by Sheriff John Drum at "Call to the Public". In a written statement provided exclusively to the Desert Freedom Press, Drum read to the Board,
"On the evening of May 14th 2013, the Parker Town Council voted to lock up the La Paz County Narcotics Task Force building, denying entry to any other agencies. On that same evening, members of the Parker Police Department entered the Task Force and illegally removed files, computers, guns, buy money and surveillance equipment rendering the unit "crippled" of any law enforcement activity. The reason that this is illegal is that the above listed items were purchased with R.I.C.O. and Federal Grant monies. As of now, the Parker Police Department is working their "own" drug cases (within the Town of Parker).
Over the past 3 years, the Task Force has been under the command of the Parker Police Department. During that time, the Task Force has lost 2 grants (State and Federal), totaling approximately $270,000 a year, R.I.C.O. monies have been over spent, productivity has dropped to a record low and for most of that time, the only officers in the unit were from the Parker Police Department. For those reasons, I felt that it was in the best interest of the citizens of La Paz County that the Sheriff's Office re-establish command and control of the Task Force.
Since I have taken office in January, there have been several meetings with Chief Mendoza from the Parker Police Department, Chief Gilbert from the Quartzsite Police Department and the County Attorney Tony Rogers (the only current voting members on the Task Force Board besides myself). During these meetings, we verbally agreed that a new I.G.A. would be created and the Sheriff's Office would take command of the Task Force on June 1st. A rough draft of this new I.G.A. was presented to the County attorney for his review on April 29th.
We have taken several positive steps forward in an effort to rebuild the La Paz County Task Force. All of these positive steps were nearly destroyed after the events of May 14th. It appears as though the Town of Parker and the Parker Police Department are not in support of a cooperative effort to improve the Narcotics Task Force and their own self-interests supersede the County's overall need for narcotics enforcement.
At this time, the Sheriff's Office intends on continuing forward to build an effective Task Force that will serve everyone within the County. We still intend on creating a unit with all State, Federal and local cooperation. We also intend on signing an intergovernmental Agreement with CRIT so we can assist them with the Narcotic issues on and around the reservation.
In closing I would like to leave you with this: I want to bring more agencies to the table to help us vote on Task Force expenditures. These Agencies (Border Patrol and Riverside County), will not be able to spend Task Force monies on their agencies, they will simply be there as unbiased voting members who have nothing to gain. So you have to ask yourself; why wouldn't the Town of Parker want more unbiased people voting on the Task Force Board? There is only one answer and that is control."
The meeting minutes for the May 14th Special Meeting of the Parker Council were still not posted on their website by an hour past the close of business today, in violation of Arizona Open Meeting Law, A.R. S. Title 38 431.01 however, the May 14th Parker Special Meeting Council Agenda provided for :
This morning, at the La Paz County Board of Supervisor's meeting, (Item 14 on the Agenda) The County Finance Director disclosed that the La Paz County Narcotics Task Force had exceeded it's budget by a whopping $245,000! The Task Force had only brought in about $25,000 in revenue so far this year. The Supervisors had little choice but to amend the current budget, but did not authorize any additional expenditures though the end of the fiscal year, June 30th.
A financial summary provided to the Board showed that the Task Force had $45,000 more in expenditures than in revenue it during the previous fiscal year.
An even more shocking disclosure was made by Sheriff John Drum at "Call to the Public". In a written statement provided exclusively to the Desert Freedom Press, Drum read to the Board,
"On the evening of May 14th 2013, the Parker Town Council voted to lock up the La Paz County Narcotics Task Force building, denying entry to any other agencies. On that same evening, members of the Parker Police Department entered the Task Force and illegally removed files, computers, guns, buy money and surveillance equipment rendering the unit "crippled" of any law enforcement activity. The reason that this is illegal is that the above listed items were purchased with R.I.C.O. and Federal Grant monies. As of now, the Parker Police Department is working their "own" drug cases (within the Town of Parker).
Over the past 3 years, the Task Force has been under the command of the Parker Police Department. During that time, the Task Force has lost 2 grants (State and Federal), totaling approximately $270,000 a year, R.I.C.O. monies have been over spent, productivity has dropped to a record low and for most of that time, the only officers in the unit were from the Parker Police Department. For those reasons, I felt that it was in the best interest of the citizens of La Paz County that the Sheriff's Office re-establish command and control of the Task Force.
Since I have taken office in January, there have been several meetings with Chief Mendoza from the Parker Police Department, Chief Gilbert from the Quartzsite Police Department and the County Attorney Tony Rogers (the only current voting members on the Task Force Board besides myself). During these meetings, we verbally agreed that a new I.G.A. would be created and the Sheriff's Office would take command of the Task Force on June 1st. A rough draft of this new I.G.A. was presented to the County attorney for his review on April 29th.
We have taken several positive steps forward in an effort to rebuild the La Paz County Task Force. All of these positive steps were nearly destroyed after the events of May 14th. It appears as though the Town of Parker and the Parker Police Department are not in support of a cooperative effort to improve the Narcotics Task Force and their own self-interests supersede the County's overall need for narcotics enforcement.
At this time, the Sheriff's Office intends on continuing forward to build an effective Task Force that will serve everyone within the County. We still intend on creating a unit with all State, Federal and local cooperation. We also intend on signing an intergovernmental Agreement with CRIT so we can assist them with the Narcotic issues on and around the reservation.
In closing I would like to leave you with this: I want to bring more agencies to the table to help us vote on Task Force expenditures. These Agencies (Border Patrol and Riverside County), will not be able to spend Task Force monies on their agencies, they will simply be there as unbiased voting members who have nothing to gain. So you have to ask yourself; why wouldn't the Town of Parker want more unbiased people voting on the Task Force Board? There is only one answer and that is control."
The meeting minutes for the May 14th Special Meeting of the Parker Council were still not posted on their website by an hour past the close of business today, in violation of Arizona Open Meeting Law, A.R. S. Title 38 431.01 however, the May 14th Parker Special Meeting Council Agenda provided for :
1. Discussion and possible action to convene into an Executive Session pursuant to A.R.S. §
38-431.03A (4) for the purpose of:
a.Discuss or consult with attorneys & representatives of the public body to consider its position and instruct its representatives on the Town of Parker’s position in regards to amending the Intergovernmental Agreement pertaining to the Racketeering Enforcement Task Force.
and to reconvene the meeting for:
Discussion and possible action on the following item(s)
1. Discussion and Consideration of any motions pertaining to amending the intergovernmental Agreement pertaining to the Racketeering Enforcement Task Force.
The following was question was submitted to the "contact" page for the Town of Parker:
"At the May 14th Special Meeting of the Parker Town Council , did the Council explicitly authorize the Parker Police Department to remove "files, computers, guns, buy money and surveillance equipment" purchased with " R.I.C.O. and Federal Grant monies", from the Task Force office, as alleged by Sheriff John Drum at this morning's Board of Supervisor's Meeting, or was Parker Police Chief Rod Mendoza acting as a rogue agent in this seizure?"
The Desert Freedom Press eagerly awaits their official answer.
Follow the contentious recent history of the Task Force by reviewing:
The following was question was submitted to the "contact" page for the Town of Parker:
"At the May 14th Special Meeting of the Parker Town Council , did the Council explicitly authorize the Parker Police Department to remove "files, computers, guns, buy money and surveillance equipment" purchased with " R.I.C.O. and Federal Grant monies", from the Task Force office, as alleged by Sheriff John Drum at this morning's Board of Supervisor's Meeting, or was Parker Police Chief Rod Mendoza acting as a rogue agent in this seizure?"
The Desert Freedom Press eagerly awaits their official answer.
Follow the contentious recent history of the Task Force by reviewing:
Sheriff’s statement on narcotics task force future
New drug task force to be led by Sheriff’s Office
Lawmen exchange words: Quartzsite Police Chief’s rebuttal to Sheriff’s statement
Task Force wars: Sheriff responds
Monday, January 17, 2011
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