Nice choice of words by the AP..."Posse" How about "Law Enforcement?" maybe try "Americans?"
"posse" is what Sheriff Joe calls them.
Sheriff Joe calls the group the "posse." It is not seen as a derisive term to him or to members. This is one (rare) instance where the wire service is not injecting its bias.
Isn't a "posse" folks that the sheriff has sworn in as deputies and therefore legal law enfocement officials? If so, what's the problem?
Way to go Sheriff Joe, talk to the sheriff in Cochise County.
We are the Maricopa County Sheriff's Posse, a group of volunteers. Basically we are "almost a Reserve Deputy." There's more information here:
http://www.posse.net
The Maricopa County Attorney, Andrew Thomas, is a good conservative and very much supportive of these efforts, unlike the last guy, who often feuded with the Sheriff.
I'll be on this detail on Sunday. I suspect we will mostly supply extra eyes and ears for the sworn Deputies, rather than conducting actual arrests, but you never know. As always, I'm happy to do my part to assist county law enforcement. If you ever get the chance to be a law enforcement volunteer, I highly recommend it.
Actually, all Arizona Sheriffs have a civilian auxiliary that is called the (X County) Sheriff's Posse.
And Sheriff Joe is using his Maricopa County Sheriff's Posse to enforce this law.
I think the headline writer swerved into a useful truth. There isn't any reason whatsover for civilians not to become involved in law enforcement as a form of public service. Isn't that exactly what the Minutemen are all about?
FWIW, I think this one is indeed a good choice of words.