Phil Barney
At the March 14, 2019, off-site meeting of The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke, held at the SaddleBrooke Ranch Clubhouse, the special guest was Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. Sheriff Lamb gave a very interesting and informative talk. His jurisdiction has 650 employees and he described the challenges facing law enforcement in a county the size of the state of Connecticut.
The Sheriff also indicated that there are many volunteer opportunities offered by his office. That even includes serving as a deputy or on the “posse.” Also, his office provides many services for residents of Pinal County beyond law enforcement. One is a House Watch program for absentee homeowners, as well as assistance with a Block Watch program.
High on the Sheriff’s list is drug trafficking, with the well-financed powerful Mexican Cartels actively sending illicit drugs through our county in a variety of ways that challenge detection. Drug traffickers use many routes and carriers with swift transfer to vehicles that take to the highways to all parts of the country. Human trafficking is also a serious problem and Sheriff Lamb explained the issues with high payments to the Cartel and the abuse of people on both sides of the border. Pinal County, as well as other areas, must also deal with the scouts in the mountains that serve as lookouts to monitor the location of patrol men and women.
While major crimes in the county have decreased 4% since Sheriff Lamb took office, thefts have increased. He attributes this to increased drug users and their need for money to buy more drugs. The Sheriff urged homeowners to take security precautions to prevent thefts.
For information on volunteer activities or the House Watch program, call the Sheriff’s office or visit the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office website.
This is just one of many fascinating programs we’ve had at one of our weekly meetings. If this sounds like an interesting program that appeals to you, come visit the Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke. If you’d like to join us for lunch, there are three outstanding meal options ranging from $7 to $11. We start ordering lunch about 11:15 a.m., have a short Rotary meeting and enjoy the program about 12:20 p.m. or so. But the best part is all the friendly people you’ll meet!
The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke is an award-winning club that is open to all. We meet for lunch on any Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the SaddleBrooke One Clubhouse and you are welcome to come. For more information, contact Wendy Guyton at 520-404-5712
or [email protected].