Sheriff Mark Lamb and Program Chair Peggy Knowles
Barbara Barr
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb captivated members of the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke. Introduced by Program Chair Peggy Knowles, Lamb included a description of improvements to the department, updates on border issues, insights into Arizona crime and tips for SaddleBrooke residents.
“Mark Lamb was named valedictorian of his class at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Academy. He was hired by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community where he excelled as a police officer and was named, Rookie of the Year. The following year, he received the Officer of the Year Award. Mark Lamb was later promoted as a Detective to the Gang Enforcement Unit and in his first year was named Detective of the Year. Whew! I see a pattern here!” proclaimed Peggy Knowles as she welcomed the Sheriff to the podium.
Sheriff Lamb began by describing conditions in the department when he took office and the actions he took. Members of the department had not had a raise in over ten years and morale was low. The Sheriff turned that around and developed a pay increase system. He also made dramatic changes in communication using social media, hiring a talented staff and even had an app for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department. A number of innovative programs have been added or boosted by Lamb, which saves the department and the county a tremendous amount of money! This includes programs such as the Veterans Posse, Victims’ Services and the Honorary Posse.
The Sheriff also tackled border issues. He commented that Arizona is not facing the same problems that Texas has. According to Lamb, there are few families or children that attempt crossing in Arizona because it requires a six-day hike in the desert. Lamb indicated that the major smuggling into our state is marijuana and human trafficking, along with some heroin and meth. A major issue Arizona has is transporters and the cartel, who are taking advantage of our immigration laws and all people concerned.
Additionally, the sheriff tackled general crime trends in Arizona. Smuggling is the major concern, with both drugs and humans. Opiods are also a significant problem in our state. The sheriff believes one of our biggest problems is bullying and lack of appropriate adult role models.
Sheriff Lamb also had advice for SaddleBrooke residents. As opioids are such a crisis throughout our county, Sheriff Lamb recommended securing medicines. He warned that this was especially important when grandchildren visit. Lamb also indicated that most break-ins today are for drugs and guns, so we should secure our property.
This just scratches the surface of information provided by Sheriff Lamb. For more information, follow the Sheriff’s Facebook page or the website nextdoor.com. The sheriff also has an app for that called Pinal County Sheriff!