Sierra Vista Company

 

Company Report for 2001

 

In Cochise County, a stones throw from exotic, historic locales like Bisbee, Tombstone, Naco and Douglas, lies a city called Sierra Vista. In our territorial days, Cochise County was the hotbed of crime, rustling, gambling and prostitution in Arizona. Though Tombstone was never a headquarters for the Territorial Arizona Rangers, Bisbee, Douglas and Naco were. With Territory-wide crime fighting responsibilities, most of their action took place in Cochise County.

 

Today, there remain challenges in Cochise County – some old, some new.

 

Law Enforcement:

 

DUI Task Force: The Sierra Vista Company Commander is a full member of the Southeastern Arizona DUI Task Force coordinating committee, and Company members are deployed in this multi-agency organization. Deploying 12-15 times annually, the task force helps keep our streets safe from intoxicated drivers.

 

Special Operations: In the past year, we have been called out to three murder scenes, two SWAT Team operations, two Clandestine Laboratories (Meth labs), a Missing Persons sector search, and various other missions. We also assisted in recovering a body from the middle of a large pond along the San Pedro River, where a joint task force was convened to retrieve the badly decomposed body from a location far from shore. We provided physical security for the City of Sierra Vista by protecting governmental facilities and the Sierra Vista Airport.

 

Community Support: Serving such diverse organizations as the City of Sierra Vista, the Sierra Vista Rotary Club, the Huachuca Art Association, the Cochise County Fairgrounds Association, and dozens more, our Company performed in excess of 6,000 duty hours to date, in 2001. During our busy season (February through November) it is not uncommon to have as many as 24 Arizona Rangers deployed simultaneously, in a variety of missions and locales.

 

Sergeant John Thomas Memorial Plaque: On July 21, 2001, on the ninth anniversary of his death, we dedicated a plaque to Sergeant John Thomas, the only modern Arizona Ranger to be killed in the line of duty. On his tenth anniversary, we shall begin an annual donation of scholarship funds to his three surviving children.

 

Miss America Support: during a three-day visit to Sierra Vista, we escorted and provided personal security for Miss America, Angela Perez Baraquio. We picked her up at Tucson International airport, escorted and guarded her during her visit and special appearances, and then delivered her back to Tucson. We were asked to do this because of our high profile within our community.

 

Miscellaneous: We have worked many parades, accident scenes, and charitable events. In November, seven Arizona Rangers donated a day of their time to support MDA in its “Jail-a-thon. Driving marked Sheriff’s cars and dealer-provided vehicles, these Rangers “swept” the town, “arresting” most of the governmental, educational, professional and business leadership of Sierra Vista, delivering them to “Jail,” and then returning them to their homes or business after they had paid their “bail.”

 

Company Activities: With a full schedule of training and more duty than the law allows, the Company has grown, and has implemented policies that assure excellence. We established the following:

 

• Field Training Officer (FTO) program
• A “Guided Tour” of the Probationary maze
• Hands on, “One-on-One, training on how to implement a Probationer’s training, becoming the best Ranger possible, in the shortest time
• Administered by a staff member in the Training Department
• Comprehensive Recruiting Program
• Proactive recruiting
• Formal PowerPoint Recruiting Presentation by Commander
• Local Background Checks by Sierra Vista Police Department
• Oral Board consisting of elected Company Officers and a Ranger-at-large
• The Wrangler
• A Company Mascot, comparable to Smoky Bear, Sparky the Fire Dog, and McGruff, the Crime Dog
• Used to attract children( and their parents) to the Arizona Rangers
• Parades
• Safety Fairs
• Community Fund Raisers

 

Company Infrastructure: In addition to owning a functioning Command Post, for long-duration events, we equip each Company member with the following:

• Body Armor
• Reflective Vests (with “Arizona Rangers on Front and back)
• Flashlight Cones (for night traffic operations)

 

Community Involvement: We are members of, or have given speeches to:

• Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce
• Joint Service Clubs of Sierra Vista
• Rotary Club
• Lions Club
• Kiwanis Club
• The Retired Officers Association

Volunteer Hours: With a modest increase in staffing (+16%) in 2001, the Company became increasingly involved in the totality of its missions. Increasing from 3,400 hour to over 7,000 hours of combined duty, training and administrative hours, a staggering 71% increase, the Company and its members were progressively tasked. And they performed splendidly!

Coordination: Our Commander, and/or Law enforcement Liaison Officer and Training Sergeant meet with the following, often on a weekly basis:

• Chief of Sierra Vista Police Department
• Cochise County Sheriff
• Commanding General, Fort Huachuca
• Tombstone Marshall
• Police Departments of surrounding communities

 

Web Site: In November, we launched our Sierra Vista Company web site. Informative and fun, it is now, and will always be, in a state of upgrade. Nonetheless, you may learn some things of interest. Please visit us at: Sierra Vista Company Web Site

As a closing note, following a very busy year, on December 2, 2001, seven Company members supported the Cochise County Sheriff and the Arizona Department of Air Quality in a mass HAZMAT notification, in Naco, Arizona. A fire is raging in Naco, Sonora, Mexico, in a waste disposal site, and toxic fumes are blowing across the border, creating a health hazard in Naco, Arizona. Arizona Rangers went door to door, notifying residents of the hazards, and providing them instructions regarding their health concerns. We have been placed on alert for a possible evacuation of the town of Naco, Arizona.

On December 16, 2001, the Cochise County Sheriff called out six Arizona Rangers to assist in locating two minors, missing after a day hike along the San Pedro River. Throughout the night, when temperatures dropped to 10 degrees below freezing, The Arizona Rangers assisted as Search and Rescue units attempted to locate the youths. Because of the numerous abandoned mine shafts, treacherous ponds, and soft, crumbling wash banks, the search was suspended at 0300 hours, and then resumed at dawn. The missing youths were located during daylight hours

We are highly regarded by our local and countywide law enforcement agencies. Our Commander attends staff meeting at the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, and serves as a single point of contact from the CCSO to the Arizona Rangers.

 

Our organization works hard, trains hard, and plays hard throughout the year. Because of us, our members are able to provide community service with a difference: a uniform. And what a difference the uniform makes! We have a distinctive look and are prominently displayed. Because we are always “on display,” it is imperative that we always be professionally dressed, courteous – and competent.