By Rusty Bradshaw

Independent Newsmedia

Sun Cities residents wanting more police presence in their communities might be getting it, but not in the form of more Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Reporting on a community leaders’ meeting, Pam Schwartz, Sun City Home Owners Association board president, said MCSO officials told the group there would be more patrols coming to the Sun Cities. As Maricopa County islands, the Sun Cities are totally dependent on the MCSO and Maricopa County Department of Transportation for the maintenance and upkeep of community roads.

However, MCSO officials caution residents from believing the sheriff’s office will be adding deputies to District 3, which covers the Sun Cities.

“We are not adding patrols, but I am seeking to distribute our contingent of deputy sheriffs to better manage call volume and equalize the workload among the law enforcement officers,” Capt. Paul Chagolla, MCSO District 3 commander, stated in an email.

His efforts are coming ahead of MCSO’s annual shift bid, a method of distributing officers within the county and the separate MCSO districts. Mr. Chagolla is reviewing District 3’s existing deployment model, searching for ways to maximize coverage with the current allocation of staff.

“In short, no changes have been implemented, but the current deployment model may change after the shift bid is initiated and implemented,” Mr. Chagolla stated. “It is only strategy to better service communities in the Northwest quadrant.”

Mr. Chagolla stated District 3 personnel includes one captain, three lieutenants, 14 sergeants, two administrative staff and 60 deputies. District 3 stretches from I-17 west to La Paz County line and from the Yavapai County line south to Northern Avenue, an area covering 1,600 square miles. District 3 is the second largest of MCSO’s seven districts, including the Lake Patrol division.

Sun Cities residents have long advocated for additional police coverage in the communities where crime and traffic issues are at uncomfortable levels for residents. Some blame non-residents for most of those problems and believe additional MCSO patrols will solve the issues.

Dave Polling, PORA Roads, Traffic and Safety Committee member disagrees — at least in regards to speeding vehicles.

“Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Sun City West Posse statistics clearly show that the vast majority of those exceeding the limits have an 85375 home address,” he stated in a guest commentary (“Taking a look at speeding in Sun City West,” Sun City West Independent, Oct. 25, 2017).

He also stated MCSO and the Sun City West Posse have statistics showing more than 90 percent of accidents in Sun City West are not caused by speeding, but by some kind of erratic, improper behavior at various community intersections.

“Getting passed by someone who is driving 55 or greater is annoying as hell, but the evidence is that behavior is not causing accidents,” he stated. “The accidents that physically hurt our residents are generally caused by some driver using bad judgment, failing to be patient or simply failing to obey existing traffic laws.”

Sun City West resident V. Koll disagrees. A 20-year resident, he believes there are too many drivers exceeding 45-55 mph on the community’s major thoroughfares, including R.H. Johnson and Meeker boulevards.

“My fear is for safety of the golf cars, walkers, strollers and safe drivers,” he stated in a letter to the editor (“Poling right on point on speeding,” Sun City West Independent, Nov. 1, 2017).

He believes county leaders should provide more funding for additional deputies.

Sun City West resident Brian Reilly expected some changes when Paul Penzone defeated former sheriff Joe Arpaio in the 2016 election. But so far he is disappointed.

“Nothing has changed when it comes to traffic enforcement in Sun City West,” he stated in a letter to the editor (“Sun City West needs traffic enforcement,” Sun City West Independent, Nov. 8, 2017).

Mr. Reilly and Jim Powell, Sun City Home Owners Association Roads and Safety Committee chairman, believe there are not enough traffic patrols in the Sun Cities. Mr. Chagolla explained Sun City is covered by three beat deputies in three patrol areas, roughly corresponding with Sun City’s three phases (Phase 1 south of Grand Avenue, Phase 2 between Grand Avenue and Bell Road and Phase 3 north of Bell Road). Sun City West is covered by one beat deputy. But Mr. Powell, who was an officer in law enforcement prior to his retirement, has long maintained there is not a designated deputy for traffic enforcement.

“We have 14.5 square miles in Sun City,” Mr. Powell said.

Sun City West includes 10.8 square miles.

Mr. Reilly believes on a given day MCSO officials should temporarily pull deputies from other areas to try to overcome the traffic hazards in Sun City West.

Sun City residents have something of an advantage in that Youngtown officials several years ago disbanded its police department and contracted with MCSO for law enforcement services. There is a branch substation in Youngtown for MCSO patrol deputies, providing a little more coverage and faster response times for situations near 111th Avenue, the dividing line between Sun City and Youngtown.

Mr. Powell, though, believes increased crime and traffic issues are a product of growth.

“We are no longer an isolated community,” he said. “We have this urban sprawl now surrounding us and that brings more crime and traffic.”

He is concerned the Sun City Posse’s transition away from MCSO’s umbrella will eliminate a deterrent to crime and traffic issues because Posse cars will no longer look like MCSO vehicles.

Ms. Schwartz believes the Sun City Posse’s transition will not affect the deterrent factor.

“They are getting more recruits and getting them out on the street faster,” she said during the Nov. 28 SCHOA board meeting. “For those who believe it will be less of a deterrent, that is not the case.”