On Monday Arizona State Rep. Bob Thorpe called on Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to allow Arizona National Guard members to arm themselves after the horrific massacre of 5 Marines in Tennessee last week. Today, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced that his posse will be increasing their presence at the Reserve facility in response to a written request by a local U.S. Army official.
The official asked Arpaio to provide an extra measure of security at the US Army Buckeye Reserve facilities.
An Army Terrorism Liaison Officer says due to a noticeable increase in surveillance and the photographing of this facility, the Army Reserve Captain requested Arpaio provide an increased presence with marked vehicles and posse volunteers at the Buckeye Reserve facilities as a deterrent until “the threat level of our soldiers declines.”
The increased threat level comes after last week in Chattanooga, Tennessee where a lone gunman took aim at two military recruitment offices killing five (5) soldiers. The shooter, identified as Mohammed Youssef Abdulazzez, 24, was a devout Muslim who excelled in school and in martial arts but who “changed” after returning from a trip to the Middle East, friends later said. The shooter was killed in police gunfire.
Arpaio’s qualified armed posse has been called on before to provide extra security.
Arizona State Representative Bob Thorpe stated, “After 5-members of our U.S. Military were tragically murdered last week in Chattanooga, Tennessee by an Islamic terrorist, several states are now considering changes in their policies that will allow their National Guard members to be armed. I have spoken with my Legislative contact at Arizona DEMA (Department of Emergency & Military Affairs) and with Governor Ducey’s office to encourage the arming of our National and Air Guard personnel for the purpose of self defense.”
Arizona State Representative Mark Finchem stated, “On April 16, 2014, HB2103, sponsored by Rep. Kelly Townsend was signed into law. The statute authorizes Arizona DPS to issue a Concealed Carry Weapons permit to Honorably discharged veterans and currently active military personnel who are at least 19 years of age in our State. While this statute chips away at the impaired right to self protection that every citizen has an unalienable right to, it does not impact orders from a Commander-in-Chief who either does not understand the threat, or purposefully and intentionally chooses to ignore the threat as it is currently understood. Either way, with the increase level of violence directed at our military members here at home, I believe the policy borders on criminally negligent.”
Last month, Arpaio says, the posse was asked by a number of ministers from Black churches to provide an increased law enforcement presence around several valley churches with largely black congregations. Fear among them escalated after a shooting in a South Carolina church where nine (9) members attending a Bible study were killed in what later was described as a hate crime by a 21 year old white man. Arpaio obliged by ordering the posse to make its presence known during Sunday services which concluded with great success.
And shortly after the 2012 Sandy Hook, Connecticut shooting where 26 children and teachers died at the hands of a 20 year old gunman, several of the Sheriff’s volunteer posse members focus their efforts by offering additional law enforcement to area elementary schools.
“That’s the beauty of this posse,” Arpaio says. “When citizens feel the need for extra protection that doesn’t come at a high cost to taxpayers, the armed posse can always be counted on.”
Arpaio says posse will start security today to support the military reserve center.