HOLBROOK, AZ: NCSO brings millions in funding to Navajo County. The funding will assist NCSO with the war on drugs.
In October 2023, the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) awarded the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) $7,136,353 in grant funding to help combat border-related criminal activity. This funding will be dispersed into three major areas, communications, enforcement, and detention.
NCSO manages the Navajo County Major Crimes Apprehension Team (MCAT), which is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Initiative Task Force. MCAT is partially funded annually by the Byrne/Jag grant that is managed through the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), Navajo County Anti-Racketeering Fund, and HIDTA. All three of these funding sources only cover partial costs of salary for the six sworn personnel and one administrative assistant.
DEMA approved over $1,000,000 to assist the task force with much-needed overtime, equipment, and training solely for the MCAT and K-9 members. The DEMA grant supports the MCAT mission by allowing detectives to attend training that focuses on the ever-changing laws, and stay up to date with the current trafficking trends. Along with training, the task force will be able to purchase specialized equipment such as narcotic detection and identification machinery as well as personal protective equipment for detectives. The PPE will be utilized during search warrants and critical incidents that stem from border-related crimes.
The mission of MCAT and our K9 Unit is to reduce, dismantle, and disrupt the consumption sales, purchase, manufacture, and transportation of illicit drugs and narcotics including the abuse of prescription pharmaceuticals and related crimes associated with the drug within Navajo County and the State of Arizona. The mission of MCAT and our K-9 Unit is accomplished through education, prevention, and vigorous enforcement. Ultimately, the cooperation, unity, and partnerships that we have developed with federal, state, local, and tribal partners have played a big role in our success.
Navajo County continues to see a dramatic increase in Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine through Navajo County. Our Task Force has partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to identify and dismantle drug trafficking organizations throughout our county and the interstate that passes through. MCAT and NCSO K-9 Unit have implemented an aggressive street-level narcotic investigation program targeting local drug trafficking organizations, which has proven to be successful.
In 2021, there were 24 overdose deaths in Navajo County, 16 of those deaths were confirmed Fentanyl overdose cases. A main priority for the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office is to provide safety and security for the citizens and visitors of Navajo County. The current drug epidemic has hit our community, and law enforcement is working hard to combat this issue stemming from the border.
Sheriff Clouse stated, “Our southern border being unsecured has had a dramatic impact on our Nation, our State, and right here in Navajo County. The influx of drugs coming across our southern border is in uncontrollable massive amounts. These drugs coming into and through our state are impacting every county and every community in the country. The MCAT detectives work relentlessly around the clock combating the epidemic of the drugs flowing and increased crime. I am very proud of the MCAT detectives and grateful for the funding opportunity from the state of Arizona that will assist me in trying to keep these dangerous drugs suppressed in Navajo County.”