Sheriff Mark Dannels (photo by Lin Sanford)
Steve Sanford and Ellen Entwistle
The Quail Creek Republican Club met on Aug. 21 in the Mesquite and Ocotillo Rooms. Deedee Stephens, 2nd Vice President, welcomed the membership and guests at 9 a.m. The meeting opened with an Invocation by Rich Ulery and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Lin Sanford, who also gave an update on membership.
The General Election is only two months away. All conservatives are encouraged to ensure that your vote counts. We need to get the current Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State replaced.
Deedee Stephens introduced our guest speaker, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels. Sheriff Dannels has been the elected sheriff since November 2012. He gave a very compelling talk on his three primary objectives: organizational development, border security and community outreach.
Sheriff Dannels was instrumental in establishing the joint Border Operations Center in Sierra Vista. The joint center was designed for coordinating border surveillance and crime prevention by federal, state, county and local authorities to combat crime along the southern border. This facility will help improve communication and collaboration between law enforcement from all levels and build stronger cases to combat illegal border activity. The goal is to also save money and make sure no work is being duplicated by different agencies.
Sheriff Dannels says we must support those who wear a badge. The biggest problems right now are child trafficking and cocaine. He is concerned that the criminal justice system is being tainted by politics. We must support the rule of law no matter the party. He said while it isn’t perfect, the border is manageable because of the current administration. He closed by saying it isn’t about party, it is about country.
The next meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 18. The guest speakers will be Sergio Arrellano, Chairman of the Arizonan Republican Party and representatives for Turning Point USA.