Local law enforcement agencies take part in ‘Operation Stonegarden’
Local law enforcement agencies in Yuma County have taken part in a federal program called “Operation Stonegarden.” The federal program allocates funds to help police departments assist the Border Patrol’s mission in securing the U.S. border.
“The duties entail apprehensions, detections of illegal immigration crossings and or allocate drugs and people coming across or drug smuggling,” said Chief Richard Jessup, with the San Luis Police Department.
Funding comes from the federal government as every agency is required to submit a detailed request to the State of Arizona and also Border Patrol.
“Some of those funds are for the overtime of the officers, some delegated for the equipment that we need as a department like the cars that we use for those remote areas,” said Chief Jessup.
Each officer involved in this detail is required to submit daily reports including citations, traffic stops, and field interviews.
“Statically per year, we’re seeing more and more increases in our patrols including cars stop,” said Chief Jessup.
Other departments like the Yuma Police Department (YPD) is also part of the operation. Stonegarden allows YPD out of its jurisdiction to help Border Patrol agents where they are needed.
“It’s Yuma countywide, so our officers instead of sticking strictly within the city limits. They can out by the river, by the railroad tracks, by the border area where the border wall is. Anywhere that agents need us to patrol that day,” said Sgt. Lori Franklin, with the Yuma Police Department.
One common misconception was that the funding provided to local law enforcement would also be given to local non-profits in the area. However, that is not the case, according to Chief Jessup.
