Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes is speaking about an injustice delivered to a former Yavapai Apache Nation Sergeant who was shot in the line of duty near Camp Verde in 2022.
Officer Preston Brogdon nearly died in 2022 after a suspect fired directly at him, striking him between the bottom of his Kevlar vest and his belt.
According to Sheriff Rhodes, Sgt. Brogdon “was shot in the abdomen, while chasing a suspect in February 2022. He suffered significant injuries and has been unable to work since. His former employer, the Yavapai Apache Police Department, sent Sergeant Brogdon a letter on the two-year anniversary of the shooting, explaining he would no longer be working for the department, because he “couldn’t fulfill the duties of a police officer.”
As a result of this, Sergeant Brogdon has been left with little income and benefits. Sergeant Brogdon‘s family has set up a GoFundMe account and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) urges anyone who is able to help Preston and his young family through this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-yapd-sergeant-preston-brogdon-and-family
“Sergeant Brogdon isn’t being afforded the same compensation as others who have been permanently disabled in the line of duty, so we support his efforts to gain assistance in this difficult time,” said Rhodes in a tweet.
Rhodes also included the body camera video from the incident that injured Sergeant Brogdon. “We are providing it, so you may see that he was valiant in his duties and not simply just a victim. Warning, video contains graphic content.”
Sgt Brogdon was shot while chasing a suspect in Feb of '22. Suffered significant injuries and has been unable to work since. His former employer, the Yavapai Apache PD, let him go on the two yr anny. Warning GRAPHIC CONTENThttps://t.co/L4wyfyqiig… pic.twitter.com/QpOxcuQuqk
— Yavapai Co Sheriff's Office (@YavapaiSheriff) March 29, 2024
On March 25, Sgt. Brogdon’s wife, Bailey, posted an update on the GoFundMe page:
It has been a very long time since I have posted an update, I truly never believed we would use this page again. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone for there support and prayers over the past few years and during this most recent change of events. I also want to be fully transparent when I say we are not currently in financial distress. Although our future financial security may be an unknown we are trusting the Lord to provide. This gofundme was only posted at the urging of our supporters in the media sharing with us they had people asking how to donate. We are hopeful any funding people feel the desire to give will go towards securing advice and counsel as we navigate workers compensation and any other developments we may face. Me and my husband pray that by sharing our experience, no other officer will go through this. Thank you.
Bailey and Preston, parents of five children, told 12News that they ‘were assured by the Yavapai Apache Nation tribal council that they would be taken care of.” The value of those assurances are now very much in doubt.
This officer’s termination is reprehensible. But is indicative of irresponsible business decisions made by the powers that be in this tribe. They don’t feel a a sense of loyalty to the same officers they expect so much from. Additionally they are running their casino into the ground by not following a proven casino business model.
If this was line-of-duty, why doesn’t he get disability comp? Who’s willing to do the job if they know they are going to be abandoned?
My guess is the tribe does not participate in the Arizona public safety retirement system (PSPRS). These tribes are showered with federal tax dollars, yet their people live in squalor. Shameful.
This isn’t right. He was injured on the job and should be compensated for the rest of his life if he’s unable to work anymore. Same as our military