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Board approves participation in state gang/immigration intelligence task force; sheriff says task force will not enforce based on immigration status
Summary
The Board approved an intergovernmental agreement to rejoin the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM/GITHIM) group; the sheriff told the board the task force targets gang, drug, human‑trafficking and train‑theft crimes and will not take enforcement action based solely on immigration status.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to join a regional task force focused on gang‑related and transnational border crimes.
What the task force is: The sheriff described the multi‑agency force — commonly known by the acronym that includes “gang” and “immigration” in its name — as a partnership of state and local law‑enforcement agencies created to combat gangs, transnational drug and human‑smuggling activity, freight and train burglaries and violent crimes tied to those activities.
Sheriff’s clarification: The sheriff explicitly told the board, "But to be clear again, the Giddens task force will not be taking enforcement action based solely on our community members' immigration status." Supervisors pressed for that assurance during discussion. The sheriff said the county would withdraw if asked to participate in immigration‑status enforcement outside the task force’s stated mission.
Budget and staffing: The IGA included an associated FY2026 budget adjustment of $86,903 to fund the county’s participation. The sheriff explained that the state would fund 75% of one existing deputy position through the agreement; the arrangement was described as covering three quarters of a vacant deputy position and reducing overtime by an estimated 20 hours per month for that post.
Public safety rationale and partners: County and task‑force officials said the force will act as a force multiplier to provide more coverage at major events, address trending rail crimes and coordinate anti‑gang activities in schools. Participating agencies named in the discussion include Arizona Department of Public Safety, Flagstaff Police Department, Williams Police Department and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff also said the team intends to partner with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for reservation partner assistance.
Vote: The board approved the IGA and budget amendment by unanimous voice vote.
