Apache Junction joins Pinal County traffic task force to bolster crash investigations

The Apache Junction City Council unanimously approved resolution 25‑39 on Dec. 2 to join a Pinal County multi‑agency traffic task force aimed at improving investigation capacity for complex traffic crashes.

Commander Mike Beaton of the Apache Junction Police Department told the council the task force includes nearby jurisdictions and will provide access to 29 detectives, with a guarantee of five detectives available on call at all times for complex incidents. "This will give us that guarantee," Beaton said, explaining the force‑multiplier benefits for complex crash scenes and major investigations.

Beaton said the estimated additional cost for placing two of the city’s detectives on standby with the task force is approximately $6,000 per detective per year, based on an average of six call‑outs annually. He said the city could use Governor’s Office of Highway Safety grants (GOHS), RICO funds, or other grant sources to cover expenses and that the city would only pay overtime and equipment costs for its own detectives when called out.

Council members asked about training and local capacity; Beaton said the city plans to continue training its own officers for accident reconstruction but that the task force helps guarantee 24/7 coverage without overextending local staff. The council voted to approve the intergovernmental agreement unanimously.

The agreement is intended to improve traffic‑crash investigative capacity and reduce the need to call multiple local staff on overtime for major incidents. The resolution passed and will be implemented by the Police Department.