Tag Archives: Coconino County Sheriff

Applications sought to fill Maine Consolidated Governing Board vacancies

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Risha VanderWey is seeking applicants for three vacant seats on the Maine Consolidated Unified School District 10 Governing Board.

Per MCUSD Bylaws, the appointments will be two-year terms ending December 31, 2020. Applicants must be Arizona registered voters and residents of the school district for at least one year prior to the date of appointment. Applicants or their spouses can’t be an employee of the district.

Application information:

· Download the application here http://www.coconino.az.gov/schoolboardapplication
· Deadline to submit the application is January 31, 2018
· Submit by email esorg@coconino.az.gov (Live signature on original application is required)
· Submit by fax 928 526-1469 (Live signature on original application is required)
· Mail/drop off Coconino County School Superintendent, 2384 N Steves Blvd, Flagstaff, Ariz. 86004

An advisory committee, consisting of district residents and a current board member will be assembled to conduct interviews and advise Superintendent VanderWey on the appointments.

For more information, please call Elizabeth Sorg at the Office of the Coconino County School Superintendent at 928-679-8070 or e-mail: esorg@coconino.az.gov.

Sheriff’s investigation reveals evidence of carbon monoxide in death of four

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PARKS – Yesterday investigators from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office employed the assistance of a professional, licensed heating/cooling service provider to investigate the heating system of the cabin in which four people were found deceased yesterday.

The contractor found a significant failure in the heating system which would be consistent with carbon monoxide overcoming the residence. The heating unit was the only gas appliance in the home. This provides additional evidence regarding a possible carbon monoxide related event.

The manner and cause of death is still to be determined by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to recommend that people install not only smoke detectors, but also carbon monoxide detectors in your home. These need to be tested and inspected at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals. The heating/cooling industry generally recommends that heaters are inspected yearly.

If you have questions regarding your heating/cooling system,
you are urged to contact a certified heating/cooling expert to check your system. If you use wood stoves, be sure these also are annually serviced and cleaned.

Public Situational Awareness Class November 29, 2017

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office will be holding a public class on Situational Awareness and Response to Active Shooter on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 from 6 to 9 p.m. in Flagstaff. There is no fee, but pre-registration is required. If you have any questions, please call 928-226-5012.

The purpose of this class is to help citizens understand what they can do to improve their safety during a crisis situation. This is a three-hour class. The first half of the class focuses on how to increase your every day safety through Situational Awareness. The second half of the class teaches a three-step plan known as “Avoid, Deny and Defend” which can be applied to crises such as Active Shooter events. The class includes some video and audio recordings of actual and simulated crises that some may find disturbing. Because of the possibly disturbing audio and video content, attendees must be 18 years of age or older.

For more information, go to http://coconino.az.gov/1571/Citizens-AwarenessActive-Shooter-Class#.

Unexploded Ordnance Discovered and Removed

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FLAGSTAFF – On October 31, 2017 at approximately 5:20 pm Coconino County Deputies responded to Fort Tuthill after a citizen reported finding what he believed to be unexploded military ordinance. Upon arrival Deputies determined that an item likely unearthed during recent excavation did in fact appear to be military ordinance.

The Flagstaff Bomb Squad was requested and after determining the item may be a viable explosive requested assistance from an Explosive Bomb Disposal Unit (EOD Unit) assigned to Luke Air Force Base. The EOD Unit agreed to respond during daylight hours. To insure public safety Sheriff’s deputies remained on site throughout the night to prevent inadvertent access to the location.

On November 1, 2017 at approximately 12:45 pm the discovered device was detonated in place by the Bomb Disposal Unit.

Fort Tuthill prior to its current use by Coconino County has served many roles. One of these was as a training site for the 158th Infantry regiment who called the location home from 1929 through December of 1948.

Sheriff Driscoll selects Bret Axlund as Chief Deputy

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Photo Courtesy Coconino County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Jim Driscoll is pleased to announce his selection of Bret Axlund to fill the position of Chief Deputy for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).

Bret has been with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) since January 1996. Bret graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Criminal Justice / Business Administration degree and is a graduate of the Arizona Leadership Program (formerly known as Leadership in Police Organizations). He most recently has been serving as the Page Lieutenant managing Page District Patrol Operations as well as the Page Detention facility. Bret brings with him multi-faceted and versatile experience in Patrol, Investigations, Search and Rescue, Detention, Community Relations, Administration, and Organizational Leadership.

While Bret has been serving as the Lieutenant of the Page Patrol District and Detention Facility since 2013, he also served as a Detention Officer at our Flagstaff facility and worked for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department prior to working for Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Bret was a senior boat patrol officer for the Page Boat Patrol Program for over ten years. He was instrumental in implementing the CCSO Dive Team and serves as the current Dive Team Coordinator. He is very active in community outreach and education programs such as boating safety classes, Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals (DITEP), Freshman Focus classes, and Citizen Response to Active Shooter. He is a certified Arizona POST General Instructor, DRE/HGN Instructor, DITEP Instructor, Marine Theft Instructor, Boating Education Instructor, and Field Training Officer. He has helped manage grants for the Boat Patrol Program and for Governor’s Office DUI/OUI Programs. He received the 2010 Veterans of Foreign Wars Officer of the Year Award.

Bret’s professionalism and leadership skills are well recognized throughout the region. He is dedicated to creating and strengthening local, state, federal and tribal partnerships and ensuring effective communications. He has a strong historical understanding of our agency and the ability to seek new and innovative solutions as we advance into a new era of policing. His successes throughout his career have been founded on building and maintaining public trust and confidence. Bret has been a mentor to many and is committed to an organizational culture that supports the growth and development of our employees and our mission of Service to Community.

Please help us welcome Chief Deputy Bret Axlund in his new role. His official start date in this capacity will be November 6, 2017.

Two Search and Rescue Missions on San Francisco Peaks Wednesday

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies and its Search and Rescue Unit conducted two search and rescue missions on the San Francisco Peaks Wednesday

About 3:00 p.m. Wednesday October 11, 2017 the Flagstaff 911 Center received a call from a woman who reported she was lost after starting a hike the Peaks. The woman and her three children—ages 2-to-11—from the Phoenix area had parked on the Snowbowl Road and started off on a hike. The woman reported she was currently on a trail, but was confused and did not know the way to return to her vehicle.

Deputies were able to get her location from her call to 911 and had her start walking out. A deputy responded to the area, who walked in on the trail, meeting the woman and assisting her back to her parked car.

About 6:35 p.m. the Flagstaff 911 Center received another call for a rescue on the Peaks. A 19-year old male and his girlfriend from the Phoenix area were hiking the Humphreys Trail when the male injured his ankle and reported a possible fracture.

The Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue unit responded and prepared for a liter carry of the injured hiker. The hiker had been able to make his way partial down the trail. Searchers made their way up the trail and made contact with the hiker and assisted him off the mountain. The hiker refused medical treatment.

71-Year-Old Female from Cameron Found

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On Sunday, October 1st at approximately 8:30 pm, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call that a female from Cameron had gotten separated from her family while picking pinon nuts on Grey Mountain. Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division and Navajo Police Department responded.

A search began Sunday night and continued through this morning. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue, Flagstaff Fire Department Fuels Crew, Navajo Police Department and the Navajo Rangers.

This morning at approximately 10:50 am, the Flagstaff Fire Department Fuels Crew search team assigned to a search segment, located a female with altered level of consciousness. Responders began treatment and she was transported by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue for medical evaluation and follow up.

The Sheriff’s Office thanks all the agencies that were involved in the search efforts.

Child Dies After Boating Accident Near Navajo Canyon

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NAVAJO CANYON, Arizona – National Park Service Dispatch at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area received a report on Sunday, September 17, 2017, at approximately 5:20 p.m., of an accident in which a six-month old boy received major head trauma. It was reported the accident happened when a houseboat was trying to dock on a beach in the area of Navajo Canyon, approximately 12 miles from Antelope Point Marina. Reports are that when the boat struck the beach an adult fell on the child. The vessel had 13 people on board, including several small children.

National Park Service Rangers were patrolling in the area at the time of the incident and responded immediately. While transporting the infant by boat to Antelope Point Marina, emergency first aid was provided, including rescue breaths and chest compressions. With the assistance of the Page Fire Department, the child was transported to the Page Hospital for further evaluation.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Page Hospital to conduct an investigation into the incident. The child was flown to the Salt Lake City Children’s Hospital. During the early morning hours of September 18, the child was pronounced dead. The family resides in Bluffdale, Utah.

This incident is under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, the National Park Service and the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.

Sheriff seeks information on missing person

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Missing Person Travis Butler – 37 years old, 5’8″, 145 lbs, green eyes, brown hair. Travis failed to check out of a hotel outside of the Grand Canyon National Park on August 1, 2017. Vehicle associated with him may be a blue 2017 Nissan Maxima with Ohio license plate FUM5324. If you have any information, please contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-338-7888 or Silent Witness 928-774-6111.

Please note that the photo is quite old compared to his current age. Anyone with more recent photos is also encouraged to contact us.