Last week, the Arizona Attorney General filed a Special Action against the City of Tucson due to the City’s decision to destroy valuable firearms rather than sell them in contravention of Arizona law. Those firearms, if sold, could have generated considerable revenue for the nearly bankrupt city.
Yet, Tucson leaders would rather reach into the pockets of the residents of the eighth poorest community for a sales tax increase rather than a valuable asset when the mere existence of that $1.6 million asset runs contrary to their very narrow political agenda.
So it came as little surprise to anyone to discover that Tucson Chief of Police Chris Magnus decided to give away the Department’s only airplane recently. What was surprising is that anyone could support setting the Department back 20 years both technologically and operationally.
Magnus was encouraged by Tucson City Councilperson Regina Romero, who has objected to the aircraft due to its use in multi-agency drug interdictions along the southern border. Over the last year, the airplane has been used 2-3 times a week to assist other law enforcement agencies. While she claims to be a humanitarian, Romero must be ignoring the fact that many of those assists are in search of illegal immigrants, who have called 911 due to life endangering issues in the desert.
Not once did those missions involve the enforcement of immigration laws.
Almost as soon as Magnus offered up the free airplane to any law enforcement agencies, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office jumped at the chance to claim the prize.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has earned a reputation for trying to interdict drugs along the I-10 corridor and the before they make their way into the hands of drug dealers on this side of the border. And while TPD’s Cessna is a prize, and can be used in drug interdiction; its real value is in the element of safety it provides to officers on the ground.
In 2010, the Tucson Police Department, which has traditionally been underfunded and ill-equipped, scrapped together enough City and federal grant funding to buy a virtual shell of an aircraft. From 2010 until 2015, TPD staff turned the Cessna 206 into a true law enforcement platform.
Over the years the aircraft has rarely been used in law enforcement activity associated with the southern border. Instead, the aircraft, due to its relatively low flying costs and quite operation, has been used – as warrants allow – to scope out criminal locations. Once a warrant is obtained, the aircraft equipped with high quality cameras and other surveillance equipment to ascertain if and where armed criminals might be prior to a SWAT team taking action. The intelligence gathered can reduce the risk to the criminals as well as officers.
In light of the recent shootings of two Tucson Police Department officers, the need for greater intelligence has never been clearer. Yet, all TPD units needing an airplane asset for investigations and the additional layer of officer safety, are now out of luck.
The City’s financial situation has never been worse, and the fact that the Department is giving away the aircraft has raised concerns. The fact that the City, without an aircraft, will now need to rely on the more expensive helicopters, has angered others.
It seems that for Tucson City Council persons Romero and Kozachik, no amount of money is too much when wasted in the name of a political agenda. The question becomes: when is the cost of an officer’s life too much?
“This is a prime example of the consequences connected to politically based choices and offers a teachable moment. If the City handled in a legal manner, the disposal of the public assets that they now stand accused of wasting, the funds generated by the sale of that property could have been used to pay for this technologically advanced layer of protection. Instead, the investment that the City has made – with taxpayer money – in the aircraft will also go to waste. Such is a vicious cycle brought on by feel-good politics masquerading as social responsibility,” stated Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem.
“Since the Attorney General’s filing I have received dozens of calls expressing support for holding the City accountable to the rule of law. Most of the callers have expressed their anger over the Council’s apparent agenda. That agenda will likely cost Tucson taxpayers the potential of state shared revenue sanctions, the cost of litigation and even the economic opportunity cost that their actions have brought upon all of the taxpayers of Tucson. Now, we find that they are willing to put officers at risk to serve that agenda. They don’t get it.” Finchem concluded, “This is not their money to spend on issues as they see fit, it is the taxpayers’ money and the Council has a fiduciary responsibility to treat it with respect and ensure that our residents and officers are as safe as they can be.”