Week 36, September 10, 2021

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Labor Day weekend was rough on our community, on law enforcement, and on our agency. And I don’t mean trying to cram five workdays into four....


#JusticeinPimaCounty

#FromLaura

Labor Day weekend was rough on our community, on law enforcement, and on our agency. And I don’t mean trying to cram five workdays into four.

It wouldn’t be forthright if I didn’t report to you that we suffered a homicide in #PimaCounty every single day this week, starting the Friday of the “holiday weekend.” In fact, as of this writing, on the cusp of the 20th commemoration of the events of 9/11, it’s exactly seven for the week. One of the worst of this week’s tragedies brought together TPD and PCSD to end a hostage situation, rescuing a bystander and her four children. It’s often hard to find even slivers of positivity in the wake of such terrible events, but I was proud to witness the collaboration between two of southern Arizona’s top law enforcement agencies.

The nationwide spike in homicides that coincided with the start of the pandemic will be studied by sociologists for decades to come. But for now, 9 SOAZ law enforcement agencies met together on Thursday morning to commit to solving this problem by expanding and formalizing their collaboration. It was good for me to see large and small, urban and rural law enforcement agencies agreeing to increase their training and to do so in cooperation, together.

For every homicide, the same Detective Sergeant (who is the supervising authority over all the detectives) and crew for each respective agency go out to the scene for hours. That Det. Sgt. will call our Chief Criminal Deputy, Dan South, at some point during the investigation, and one of our prosecutors is sent out to the scene, so often in the middle of the night. Dan then calls or emails me and briefs me next. Seven times this week alone.

Before we get that next homicide call, we need you to:

* Call PCAO at (520) 724-5617 and take a free gun lock from us.

* And, call (520) 622-6000 when dealing with a mental health and/or substance use crisis. Intervention and prevention have to be our community-wide goal.

#ToBeContinued,
Laura

Laura Conover

Laura Conover

Pima County Attorney

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Shawndrea Thomas | 520.724.5571
Tony Gallego | 520.724.4170

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