Anti-Gang Assistance For Rural Counties

Gov. Janet Napolitano announced the Arizona Department of Public Safety will help create a new anti-gang squad in Cochise County, & provide additional assistance to Pinal & Coconino counties’ anti-gang efforts. Napolitano made the announcement after a meeting at the Arizona Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center (ACTIC) with DPS management & others.

The officers will help make up a new local Gang Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GITEM) squad in Cochise Co. The unit will include personnel from Douglas Police & the County Sheriff’s Dept., & will soon be fully staffed with 10 law enforcement officers.

Additionally:
* Pinal Co. will be assigned 1 more DPS officer & possibly 1 more sheriff’s deputy. This GITEM squad has personnel from police departments in Coolidge, Eloy, Kearney & Apache Junction.
* Coconino Co. will be assigned 1 more DPS officer; currently, there are officers & deputies from DPS, Flagstaff Police & the county sheriff’s department.

GITEM squads are made up of personnel from different agencies in each area of the state, but their focus is the same: to target, disrupt & dismantle gangs & other organized crime groups. While most Arizonans are familiar with street gangs & outlaw motorcycle gangs, GITEM’s work also cracks down on prison-based gangs, drug cartels, drug & human trafficking organizations & other traditional organized crime groups.

Plans are to add 31 DPS officers to GITEM squads statewide by the end of next month, & 41 more by the end of December.