SanTanValley.com

State Senator Rich Crandall (R-Mesa), Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) President Kevin Quinn announced their comprehensive $30 million dollar plan adding nearly 300 School Resource Officers, funding $4.5 million to improve mental health assessment to pro-actively identify threats and $1.5 million to expand school guidance counseling.  The plan proposes to redirect clean elections excess funding via a ballot referral. Other ideas include a tax on alcohol sold in Arizona or a fee on private party auto sales although the referral is the preferred method of funding.  The annual revenue generated would provide the necessary funding stream to guarantee the program’s ongoing success.  

Freedom is supposed to be the cornerstone of our American Value System.  These freedoms should resonate with every aspect of our lives, whether professional or private.  These freedoms have eroded exponentially over the past decade, but Pinal County Government was not seriously affected, not until the bullying style of politics that Sheriff Paul Babeu brought with him.  

County payroll deduction to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation represents a set-up for abuse of public resources in promotion of a private organization.

Two years ago an identical proposal came before the Board of Supervisors and was justifiably rejected.  At that time its name was Pinal County Justice Foundation.  

I agree with Mitch McConnell, the leader of Senate Republicans when he says “America does not have a tax problem, we have a spending problem;” our problem is plain and simple, government spends too much money. But, standing in Pinal County, pointing our fingers at Washington, and screaming in rage; who is really to blame for runaway debt? Is it Democrats, Republicans, or the American people?

Dear Paul,

I want to write this email to you, just to thank you. I want to thank you for a number of reasons.

First, I want to thank you for notifying me that you were involuntarily forcing an ‘at-will- position on me. I want to thank you for punitively reducing my pay by approximately $15,000. I want to thank you for ensuring that your executive staff relayed the message to me that once ‘at-will’, I would face termination.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu proposes a change in the “safe school zone” laws to allow for school administrators and designated teachers to be armed to initially defend against any violent attack on their school. Sheriff Babeu also supports assigning a deputy or police officer in every school as proposed by the NRA.

Sheriff Babeu said, “Much the same way that commercial airline pilots have been trained and armed to defend their aircraft, school administrators and designated teachers would be trained by local law enforcement and armed to protect themselves, other staff and their students.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office organized three Christmas programs and events during this holiday season to help those who are less fortunate.

Our employees were able to raise $23,000 which was used to purchase toys, clothes and food for under privileged families in Pinal County. Through toy donations and fundraising we were able to provide over 2,000 toys to nearly 400 children.

Mueller set to be Pinal County department spokesman

Pinal County sheriff’s deputy Richard “Hank” Mueller, 30, has been charged with disorderly conduct after an off-duty incident outside a Tempe bar where, police say, he punched another patron.

Mueller, who had been selected by Sheriff Paul Babeu to be a department spokesman, was placed on paid administrative leave Oct. 22 pending an internal investigation and is expected to remain on leave through at least Dec. 14. He is scheduled to appear in Tempe Municipal Court for a Nov. 28 hearing on the charge, a misdemeanor. 

During the past year, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has investigated several reported thefts of copper wire from the BHP Mine located at 200 South Veterans Memorial Blvd., San Manuel.

On Saturday, November 24th, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. a Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy while working his normal patrol duties stopped by the closed mine to conduct a security check of the property. The deputy first went to a large hand dug tunnel on the property which he felt the suspects who were stealing the copper in the past were using to gain access to the abandoned mine shaft where the copper was being taken from.

Several weeks ago, I requested that the Board of Supervisors place on its agenda discussion of Sheriff Paul Babeu’s formation of a border posse made up of armed volunteers.