Sierra Vista, Arizona (KGUN) — Arizona is devoting more resources to border security and economic development in Cochise County. Governor Katie Hobbs traveled to Sierra Vista on Wednesday to highlight the funding injection.
People who live in rural Arizona sometimes think that the state government has simply forgotten them. Governor Hobbes came to Cochise County to show that he was not.
Most of the border passes through Cochise County, which creates problems for smaller towns like Cochise County and Bisbee.
Bisbee Police Chief Timothy Cox leads a police department of just eight officers. He said there had been a series of drug busts, with fentanyl pills reaching about 500,000, and the fact that Bisbee runs through some of the major smuggling routes poses many dangers on the roads.
The chief says: “Let me speak to you personally. About three months ago, as Chief of Police, I encountered a no-compromise situation and a chase in which he walked nearly 80 miles at an average speed of 119 mph.”
Speaking at the Cochise University campus in Sierra Vista, Gov. Hobbs announced a $41 million law enforcement package that includes better cameras, communications, radar, and regional helicopters that reduce the likelihood of dangerous high-speed pursuits and track smugglers’ vehicles.
She says this is part of an effort to help rural communities.
“This community is doing the best job it has been given. We have found our rural community to be very good, but we need to do better for you and the state as a whole.”
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Danells said state aid is helping open an operations center to coordinate the fight against human and drug trafficking.
“It will be networked across Arizona and even other states to identify cartel members operating within the United States so that we can continue to address criminal cartels south of the border.”
In addition to funding law enforcement, Governor Hobbs announced a revitalization of the Cochise County economy. So it costs $8 million to bring high-speed internet to rural areas.
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