Commander Agustin Huerta, patrol commander with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, described on the Gov 101 podcast how he oversees deputies who patrol unincorporated areas across the county and how his work is primarily administrative to support field deputies.
Huerta said he is "in charge of the patrol deputies, all the deputies that are, out and about throughout the county, outside of Nogales" and that his responsibilities include supervising detectives, managing the vehicle fleet and coordinating training.
Huerta told hosts Abuela Agosta and Natalia Flores that much of his day is office-based: reviewing incidents from the previous night, handling traffic or domestic reports that deputies handled, meeting with investigators and supervisors about more serious matters and running the background logistical work that keeps patrols operating. "Other times, it's just a lot of meetings. It's a lot of background stuff," he said.
The commander explained why Nogales was not among the areas he directly oversees: "Nogales is an incorporated town ... and because of that, they have their own police force." He named other communities served by county deputies, including Patagonia, Sonoita, Tubac, Amado and Elgin.
Huerta described administrative requirements for his role and for deputies generally, saying minimum qualifications include being at least 21 to carry a firearm and passing background checks, a polygraph and medical screening. He said deputies also receive training on both lethal and less-lethal equipment and that he oversees that training.
On staffing and schedules, Huerta said he typically works Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and outlined shift schedules for patrol deputies: roughly 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., noon to 10 p.m., and evening shifts that run approximately 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The discussion made clear Huerta's role is largely to support deputies and handle countywide logistics rather than to perform routine street patrols most days. "My job is to make sure that your job is easier, so I support them in the background role," he said.
Less-critical details from the conversation included brief personal remarks about Huerta's background: he said he was born in Tucson, raised in Nogales and Rio Rico, graduated in 2002 and studied political science and criminal justice in college.