Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes, along with Sheriffs across the state, met with members of the Arizona House of Representatives Military and Public Safety Committee ON Monday to discuss the impact of border-related crimes on all counties, expressing the need for continued funding from the state to help combat those crimes.

The Sheriffs stressed that crimes such as human and sex trafficking, drug smuggling and other offenses that often originate at the border are not only a border problem. Rhodes said, “Crime doesn’t stop because the criminals make it past the border counties. They set up their operations in all our communities.”

The Legislature and Governor’s office have appropriated funding in the past to help law enforcement agencies enhance their response capabilities to these crimes.

However, some of the funding that was appropriated by the legislature last year was one-time, and the Sheriffs stressed the need for it to continue if the progress made so far is to be maintained.

Governor Hobbs has questioned whether the funds for the so-called ‘border strike force’ and ‘border security’ have been effective and is evaluating the need for the continuation.

Rhodes stated, “If the border-related law enforcement funds have been deemed to be not effectively used by some in the past, you can be assured that the Sheriffs will make very good use of them”.