Police descend on El Mirage in crime sweep
Erin Zlomek
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 14, 2007 12:00 AM

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office arrested eight undocumented immigrants and two others with outstanding felony warrants in El Mirage Saturday evening, hours before its $2.5 million contract for service with the city's police department expired at midnight.

Nearly 100 sheriff's deputies and posse volunteers descended on El Mirage to pursue 700 arrest warrants and act on drop-house tips. Deputies expected arrests to continue through the morning.

Sheriff's deputies stepped in after an El Mirage police audit conducted in 2006 found that money was missing, and evidence, including drugs, had been stored improperly. advertisement

For about two years, the city has contracted with MCSO for 24 deputies.

Earlier this year MCSO said it would no longer allow El Mirage to buy sheriff's services piecemeal and that the city must hire MCSO for all police functions like other municipalities do.

El Mirage city manager B.J. Cornwall instead choose to rebuild the city's own police department and hired Michael Frazier, formerly Phoenix Police Department's second in command, to lead the new department as chief starting Oct. 2. However, 41 percent of the new department's jobs remain vacant once MCSO leaves.

Arpaio said he didn't understand Cornwall's decision as MCSO has access to SWAT teams, helicopters and other tools, which the city needs. Within the last five weeks 60 undocumented immigrants and a murder occurred at three separate drop houses in the city. In the last two years MCSO has conducted 27 investigations inside the El Mirage police department to further audit the organization and restore its integrity, Arpaio said.

Arpaio said recent drug and illegal immigrant activity prompted him to set up a makeshift post in the parking lot of the El Mirage Elementary school Saturday at 4 p.m. and do a final "crime sweep".

As for the new El Mirage police department: "We wish them the best," Arpaio said.

Frazier said existing El Mirage officers will work a lot of overtime during the first month after the transfer and said some officers may clock as many as 60 hours a week.

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