Category Archives: Coconino County Sheriff

County Presents New SAR All-Terrain Transport Vehicle / Snowcat

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P800FLAGSTAFF — Yesterday the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office recognized the community service of Search and Rescue (SAR) during the presentation of a new snowcat, all-terrain transport vehicle for the Sheriff’s Office.

The new snowcat will provide Sheriff’s Office SAR with a reliable vehicle to respond to a variety of snow and all-terrain emergencies. It is a multi-functional all-terrain vehicle that can be used on mud, snow or ice. The new PistenBully Scout from Kassbohrer All-Terrain Vehicles, Inc. was purchased for $180,150. The current snowcat is a 1984 DeLorean Snowcat which is over 30 years old and has reached the limits of its serviceability, often being out of service because parts are unavailable.

“It was in the best interest of public safety, health, and welfare to obtain a new snowcat to address potential snow and mud related emergencies. The time to act is before the storm, and we feel this piece of equipment is a substantial asset to responding to these kinds of events throughout Northern Arizona,” said Sheriff Bill Pribil. “We greatly appreciate the generosity of the County Manager’s Office and Board of Supervisors in supporting the funding of this important piece of public safety equipment.”

Coconino County Public Works Fleet Management also assisted by researching equipment on the market and identifying a replacement snowcat that would best serve community given the weather and terrain conditions in Coconino County.

“This was an excellent example of county departments collaborating to find the best solution for the public safety needs of our community,” Pribil said.

The PistenBully Scout is powered by a John Deere diesel engine meeting the most current Tier 4 emission standards established by the EPA, which means less noise and less fuel consumption. While most machines are single-seated ski resort groomers and some are multi-passenger machines, the Scout has seating for an operator, front seat passenger, and 8-12 passengers. It also can be configured to carry approximately 9 passengers and a litter carrier for injured persons.

Cost for local attorneys to advertise services in Detention Facility reduced

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FLAGSTAFF — In 2015 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office developed a unique program by which attorneys are given the opportunity to advertise their services at the Coconino County Detention Facility.  Attorneys who chose to invest in this advertising were able to reach out to individuals who were in need of legal services. At the same time, the advertising purchase assisted in funding important programs in the Coconino County Detention Facility to include the Inmate Welfare Fund.

The cost of having legal service advertisement displayed in a 14” x 11” space in our detention lobby at the onset of this program was $5,000 per year, but we are reducing that annual fee to $2,500.  This works out to a little more than $200 per month.  The cost includes printing a color poster with a legal advertisement and the acrylic display frame with a holder for business cards.

The advertisements in the lobby can assist individuals coming into the jail lobby in connecting with legal assistance. All moneys generated from renting an advertisement space will go to the Inmate Welfare Fund which supports important programs such as Exodus (our in-custody drug and alcohol treatment program), re-entry programs, and other services that directly benefit our inmate population.

We believe that this will be a win-win for participating attorneys and the inmates in the detention facility.  Interested attorneys may contact Kathleen Levinson at 928-226-5074 or klevinson@coconino.az.gov for details on this program.

Sheriff’s Office Offers Citizen’s Situational Awareness/Active Shooter Survival Training

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The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is providing a two-hour class that will provide participants tools to assist them in surviving Crisis Situations such as Active Shooter Incidents.  This training is offered free of charge and is open to all community members ages 18 and older. 

The first portion of the class will address techniques to improve personal safety through Situational Awareness. The second half of the class will provide a three-step plan known as “Avoid, Deny, Defend” which can be applied to crises such as an Active Shooter Event. 

This two-hour class will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in the Auditorium of the Law Enforcement Administration Facility located at 911 E. Sawmill Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001.

In light of the recent life threatening crisis situations that have been forefront in the news, and the difficulty to predict where such incidents will take place, we believe this training is valuable for all community members. Sheriff’s Deputies and staff have been presenting a similar training to a wide variety of audience including classes for Coconino County employees, and we have received much positive feedback.

The class on March 22 will be taught by Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Lieutenant Jim Coffey. There is no fee, but pre-registration is required. The class includes some video and audio recordings of actual and simulated crises events that some people may find disturbing. Because of the possibly disturbing audio and video content, attendees must be 18 years of age or older to attend.

Because seating is limited, you are asked to pre-register online at the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office webpage: http://www.coconino.az.gov/sheriff.aspx.  There is a link for online registration in the left menu bar and on the homepage of the Sheriff’s Office under our mission statement.  You also can register by calling (928) 226-5012 and providing your contact information.  We will contact you to confirm your registration. 

In the event this class fills to capacity, we will establish a waiting list and schedule future training.

Doney Park Neighborhood Watch Meeting Thursday

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and District 4 Supervisor Mandy Metzger would like to invite residents of the Doney Park community to attend the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, March 3, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Summit Fire District Station 32 and Administrative Offices located at 8905 Koch Field Road Flagstaff, AZ.

Supervisor Mandy Metzger will be available to answer questions and provide support to this partnership between law abiding citizens, law enforcement and county government.

Janet Dean who is the Community Affairs Manager for Arizona Public Service (APS) will present an update of APS Operations in Northern Arizona and will be available to answer any questions.

For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

Law enforcement seeking information on suspicious fires

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Coconino_MobileForest Service law enforcement and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is seeking any information on a string of suspicious human-caused fires that have occurred over the last two days in Oak Creek Canyon.

On Monday (Feb. 22), from approximately 7:30 to 8 p.m., four fires—named the Briar, Snake, Rock and Switchback fires—were started in Oak Creek Canyon along Highway 89A and grew to only a tenth of an acre before they were reported and fire personnel extinguished them. The Briar fire was located on the west side of the highway, about 1.4 miles north of Midgley Bridge, near Leo Schnur Lane. The Snake fire was about a quarter of a mile south of the Encinoso Picnic Area on the east side of the highway. The Rock fire was just north of Slide Rock State Park and on the east side of Highway 89A. The Switchback fire was located near the southwest corner of the Oak Creek Canyon switchbacks on the east side of the highway.

On Tuesday (Feb. 23), at about 4 p.m. the Halfway fire was reported just south of the Halfway Picnic Area on the east side of the highway. Later that evening at about 5:20 p.m. the Creek fire was reported just below the Halfway Picnic Area on the west side of the highway.

These fires are under investigation, and anyone that may have information regarding the cause of these fires or may have observed anyone suspicious in the area at the time of the fire is encouraged to contact Forest Service Law Enforcement at 928-527-3511 or the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523. The public may also call the Coconino Silent Witness number at 928-774-6111, and if your information leads to an arrest, you will be offered a reward of up to $1,000.

Sheriff’s Detectives Responded to Death at Antelope Point Marina

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PAGE — Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating the death of 54 year-old Michael Murphy of Page, Arizona who collapsed on the houseboat dock at Antelope Point on Lake Powell.

On February 8th at approximately 1:50 pm personnel of the National Park Service at Glen Canyon received a report from Antelope Point of an unresponsive person lying on the marina dock. National Park Rangers, Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies, Page Fire Department, and Guardian Air Helicopter responded.

According to a coworker, he and the victim were laying carpet on a houseboat when the victim stepped off of the boat and onto the dock and collapsed. An employee of Antelope Point Marina who is an Emergency Medical Technician immediately responded and administered a defibrillator and began CPR. Upon arrival, medical personnel from the National Park Service and Page Fire Department continued administering lifesaving procedures. Shortly after 2:30 pm Murphy was declared deceased on scene.

The cause of death is currently under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. At this point in the investigation Detectives do not believe that foul play was involved with this death.

Coconino County Detention Facility Receives Donation of a Baptistery

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FLAGSTAFF — The American Rehabilitation Ministry which is a non-profit organization based in Missouri has donated a new full immersion portable heated baptistery valued at $1,700 to the Coconino County Detention Facility. Detention staff will schedule the use of the baptistery on a regular and frequent basis to inmates who request it. Inmates who request a baptism will meet with the full time Jail Chaplin who will explain the process to them and its significance. Once the inmate has a full understanding of the process he or she will be scheduled for baptism.

In the past the Jail Chaplin and other religious volunteers have received requests from inmates to be baptized, but we did not have that capability. The Jail Chaplin contacted other detention facilities to learn what policies they had in place regarding baptisms. He learned that many agencies offer baptisms on a regular basis. He researched the availability of full immersion baptisteries. The Rescued Not Arrested non-profit group that provides bibles to prisons and jails throughout the country including our detention facility assisted our Jail Chaplin in identifying The American Rehabilitation Ministry as a resource and in contacting them. It should be noted that the Rescued Not Arrested organization also provides religious volunteers to minister to inmates in our facility on a weekly basis.

The American Rehabilitation Ministry provided the baptistery to our detention facility free of charge. The Sheriff’s Office paid for the shipping and several upgrades such as the heater.

At the Coconino County Detention facility we strive to provide our inmate population with opportunities to improve their quality of life while they are with us and once they have been released. The baptistery is yet another way we can provide religious services to the inmates in our care.

Neighborhood Watch meetings in Timberline/Fernwood and Downey Park next week

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TIMBERLINE/FERNWOOD — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Coconino County Supervisor District 2 Liz Archuleta would like to invite residents of the Timberline and Fernwood communities to the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Summit Fire Station 33, located at 6050 Firehouse Lane, off of Highway 89N. Chief Deputy, Jim Driscoll and his staff will be at the meeting to share information and encourage continued neighborhood participation.

Chief Deputy Driscoll will begin the meeting by discussing some of the accomplishments made by the Sheriff’s Office during 2015 and our goals for 2016. Supervisor Liz Archuleta will give a recap of county government activities.

Representatives of the Summit Fire District will speak about recent activities and discuss changes that have been made to the administrative structure of the department.

Marc Della Rocca the Community Relations Manager for Public Works will give an update on projects and goals for 2016. He will also give a recap of snowplowing operations. Tim Dalegowski who is the Coconino County Public Works Transportation Planner will speak about the change of the posted speed limit on Copeland Lane.

Neighborhood Watch is similar to the Block Watch program commonly conducted in urban areas and goes back to the concept of “neighbors looking out for neighbors” that many people remember from 30 years ago. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent and deter criminal activity, attend to home and personal security, address the safety of our children and the elderly, and to alleviate fear and isolation. Residents learn how to observe and report suspicious activity and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime. For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

DOWNEY PARK — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and District 4 Supervisor Mandy Metzger would like to invite residents of the Doney Park community to attend the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Summit Fire District Station 32 and Administrative Offices located at 8905 Koch Field Road Flagstaff, AZ. This will be our first Doney Park Neighborhood Watch for 2016 so we hope to begin the new-year with increased attendance and participation form community members.

Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Supervisor Mandy Metzger will be available to answer questions and provide support to this partnership between law abiding citizens, law enforcement and county government. Chief Deputy Driscoll will begin the meeting by discussing some of the accomplishments made by the Sheriff’s Office during 2015 and our goals for 2016. Supervisor Mandy Metzger will give a recap of governmental activities in District 4 and in other areas of the county.

Kate Morley who is the Mobility Planner for the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Transportation Authority will speak about the Van Pools program that provides commuter vanpools to and from Flagstaff in vehicles supplied by the Mountain Line Public Transit System. It is believed that this Rideshare Program will save participants money, reduce emissions and cut traffic congestion. The Regional Manager of UniSource will solicit input from neighborhood watch participants to determine if residents in the area of Yancey Lane and Starlight or Koch Field and Hwy 89 might be interested in a natural gas line.

For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

Missing Person Lawrence Byrne

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lawrence-byrneLawrence Byrne was reported missing by his brother Shawn Byrne to both Phoenix PD and Scottsdale PD. Scottsdale PD has entered him into the Arizona criminal justice database as a missing person. Family is concerned that Lawrence may be suicidal. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was contacted because there is the possibility that Lawrence may be in Northern Arizona near Williams. He is believed to be driving a white Volkswagen Toureg SUV with Arizona plates of BRC2028. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Search and Rescue have conducted some ground and air searches with negative contact with Lawrence or his vehicle. If anyone has information about the whereabouts of Lawrence Byrne or his vehicle, they are urged to contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523 or 1-800-338-7888.

Body of Wing-Suit Jumper Mathew Kenney Recovered

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PAGE — On Sunday, January 17, 2016 a private group of professional technical climbers engaged by family members rappelled down to the location where the body of 29 year old Mathew Kenney of Santa Cruz, CA came to rest. Those rescuers lowered the body to a slope where Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter and crew based out of Kingman, AZ performed a one skid landing. The DPS helicopter off-loaded a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue technician and was able to conduct a long line extraction of the body to Lees Ferry where it was released to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Technical Rescue Team members and National Park Service helicopter from Grand Canyon had previously attempted a body recovery by helicopter on Thursday, January 14, 2016. Due to safety issues and incoming weather, the recovery was suspended and additional plans were discussed for a technical recovery.

Mathew Kenney died on January 12, 2016 when he was wing-suiting in the Paria Canyon – Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area within the BLM Arizona Strip District approximately 15 miles north of Lees Ferry. His body was located in the steep canyon walls.