Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes discussed his views on the current issues facing law enforcement in the county at the meeting of the Mingus Mountain Republican Club on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
Having spent 28 years in the sheriff’s office, Rhodes began his career as a volunteer before being promoted through the ranks to sergeant, lieutenant, captain and chief deputy before being elected Yavapai County sheriff in an uncontested race in November 2020.
Rhodes started his lecture by clarifying that he felt the county was doing well from a public safety standpoint, with people moving to Yavapai County because they feel safe.
However, he argued that such growth makes it challenging to recruit and retain law enforcement officers and other public safety personnel, especially given a decline in the favorable treatment formerly given to police forces by “mainstream” media.
“I don’t want to work forever,” Rhodes joked, urging his listeners to make the argument to young people that paramilitary work is an honorable profession and that their community needs them. Of the 480 positions in the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, 96 are currently vacant.
Rhodes also discussed the current rise in fentanyl use, calling it “unparalleled” in his 30 years in the business and stating that it can only take one pill to overdose. He argued that local law enforcement rather than federal action is the only way to reduce its prevalence.
YSCO has the first fentanyl-trained dogs in the state, which it has used to make numerous fentanyl seizures. While Rhodes admitted that methamphetamine use remains an issue, he added that it takes significantly more of the drug to overdose compared to fentanyl.
Later, Rhodes touched on his agency’s new partnership with Mutualink, which provides school emergency alert and surveillance systems. The prevalence of cellphones among students and parents suggests to the YSCO that their 911 call centers would be inundated with calls during an emergency, creating confusion and delay; the Mutualink system is intended to avert this problem by creating a direct connection between 911 operators and teachers and administrators. Rhodes gave credit for organizing the collaboration to Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Superintendent Steve King. The system is being piloted at COCSD’s Oak Creek Elementary School in Cornville.
The YSCO has also instituted a new emergency alert system. With wildfire season running from late April until July, Rhodes reiterated that you can never be careful enough. The new Everbridge system has replaced the YSCO’s previous Code Red system, and the county is asking residents to sign up for notifications on the YSCO website.
Rhodes touted the new Prescott Criminal Justice Center set to open this year, featuring a Reentry and Connections Center that will prioritize mental health needs. He commented that about 80% of people who are arrested are either mentally ill, addicted or both, and their chance of reoffending is significant.
Failure to address these issues, Rhodes said, allows recidivism to increase. Prisoners will be screened for risk factors and be connected with services as they leave the jail. Services are also available to those suffering from mental health issues who would otherwise be jailed or turned over to the local emergency department.
This is the first reentry facility of its kind in the state, and Rhodes expects other counties to copy Yavapai’s model.
For more information and to sign up for emergency notifications, visit ycsoaz.gov.
