On Monday, the Pima County Community Law Enforcement Partnership Commission rejected the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety “Buckle Up Arizona Enforcement Campaign grant. Commissioners voted 6-3 against the $5,000.00 grant intended to fund traffic enforcement related to seat belt and child safety seat violations.
Camera, and sound crews joined the Clerk of the Board’s staff members at the Abrams Center to host the meeting which was attended in person by three commissioners. Six commissioners appeared telephonically. Supervisor Steve Christy’s appointees did not attend the meeting.
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Supervisor Ally Miller pulled her appointees from the Commission due to its “anti-law enforcement obstructionist agenda.”
“This vote to reject $5,000 to ensure that our community’s kids are safe and sound is further proof that I was right to pull my appointees. I do not understand how my fellow supervisors can continue supporting this Commission unless of course they support putting kids’ lives at risk,” said Miller, shaking her head. “The cost to the taxpayers to support this charade is shameful. The residents of the fifth poorest metropolitan area in the nation deserve better.”
The Community Law Enforcement Partnership Commission was “created on February 20, 2018 as one of five conditions to accept Operation Stonegarden funds for Federal Fiscal Year 2017.” The Commission is supposed to be made up of “ten (10) voting members (two (2) appointed by each Supervisor) and one (1) ex-officio non-voting from Sheriff’s Department (appointed by the Sheriff).
The Commission’s Program Manager, Terrance Cheung, the life-partner of Tucson Chief of Police Chris Magnus, also serves as the County’s Director of Justice Reform Initiatives.
The Commission is chaired by Supervisor Sharon Bronson’s appointee, Kristen Landrum. Supervisor Christy’s appointee, Kevin McNichols, serves as the vice-chair.
In June 2017, Landrum formed Indivisible Arizona, LLC. According to the organization’s website: “We are a group of citizens inspired by the Indivisible Guide, who take action against the extremist Trump Agenda. We organize to take on Trump and his ideas at the local, state and federal level. Our Members of Congress need reminded they represent ALL of their constituents, not just the ones they agree with politically. #Indivisible Against Hatred #Indivisible For Health Care #Indivisible For Reproductive Rights #Indivisible for LGBT Equality.”
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The commissioners voted last month to reject the $1.5 million Operation Stonegarden grant for this fiscal year. The supervisors will consider their decision when it is their turn to vote on the grant on May 7.