Bandits in Cop Cars; But Napolitano Isn’t Listening, Arizona Sheriff Says

CNSNews ^ | December 16, 2010 | Susan Jones

[jazusamo]

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu.
(CNSNews.com/Penny Starr)

(CNSNews.com) - Paul Babeu, the sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, says give him half an hour, and he could tell President Obama how to secure the U.S. border with Mexico -- if only the president and other administration officials would listen to him.

Babeu joked that he must be on the White House “do not call” list, even though he’s the president of the Sheriff’s Association for the State of Arizona.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Babeu lamented the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol agent on Tuesday at the hands of “bandits” – illegal aliens in the U.S. who steal from cartel members who sneak drugs into the United States.

It’s an ongoing problem, Babeu said: “We had just this past weekend other bandits that are using what appear to be a police car – with lights and sirens, red and blue lights, push bumper, spotlights – that are stopping vehicles, trying to steal drugs from cartel members -- in my county.”

Yet Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano doesn’t talk to him, Babeu said – “because we have a different opinion than her about the reality of what our country is facing.”

Babeu knows exactly what he would tell Napolitano and the president – if they would listen to him or accept his invitation to “come see what we’re facing.”

“We need 6, 000 armed soldiers,” Babeu said. “We need to build and complete the double barrier fences that he suspended – stopped the construction; and then, a novel concept – we need to enforce the law. You come into America, you’re breaking America’s laws – you’re apprechended then you’re formally deported. You come back into our country illegally, you’re going to prison.  Those three things…will secure our borders,” Babeu told Fox News.

As things stand now, neither President Obama nor Janet Napolitano has spoken to Babeu, despite his efforts to get them on the phone – or to visit Pinal County in person.

He said Napolitano’s visit to Arizona today and tomorrow does not signal that the administration is taking the danger any more seriously: “Here we’ve heard nothing except that the border’s more secure than ever, unprecedented resources…”

On Tuesday, in a conference call with border sheriffs and police chiefs that did not include Babeu, Napolitano reviewed what the Homeland Security Department has done to boost border security in the past year.

It’s not enough, Babeu argues.

As CNSNews.com has reported, Napolitano's conference call came on the same day that Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered near Nogales, Arizona.

Pinal County is in south-central Arizona, about 70 miles from the U.S. Mexico border, but it is along the drug corridor leading from Mexico to Phoenix.

Also see:
Sheriff Babeu: It’s ‘An Outrage’ Obama Stopped Building Border Fence (Aug. 26, 2010)
Arizona Sheriff Says Cops Are Being Killed by Illegal Aliens; Joins Call for U.S. Troops at Border (Apr. 20, 2010)
Arizona Sheriff: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’ (Aug. 1, 2010)
Arizona Now Has ‘Whopping 30’ National Guard Troops and 15 Billboard Signs Warning Citizens About Drug Cartels (Sept. 1, 2010)

[hoosierham]

A fence is worthless without armed men to stop it from being destroyed.But a fence is still useful;troops used concertina wire to slow the hostiles so they can then be shot.It is difficult to do much when you are entangled in barb or razor wire.

[JamesA]

Perhaps-Shoot/burry/shut-up, would work best.

[old curmudgeon]

OK, so the only thing that really changes is that he can’t build a wall.

So all he has to do is field his 6,000 mean and his UV’s and win the war single handedly.

Wonder how many deputies he actually has? Maybe 150 or so?

Most of the rural sheriff departments operate with a pretty small crew.

[G Larry]

When will folks stop giving this administration the benefit of the doubt?

Obama has no interest in “fixing” anything in America.
His only goal is to buy as many votes as possible, so as to implement and maintain his socialist agenda.

[Mich Patriot]

"if we have a border-long minefield, a lot less men would be needed."

Indeed, and the coyotes can clean up the mess.

[Mich Patriot]

"What the hell are you talking about? All of the sheriffs in the border counties of Az are doing their job. They are out manned and out gunned by the smugglers. Have you not been paying attention? The border sheriffs have all been screaming about this. Babeu has been front and center on this issue from day one. He has had deputies shot by these animals. He needs the damn federal govt to start doing it’s job."

Hope you don't mind, but your response was so perfect, I just wanted to repost it.

[jazusamo]

Yep, it’s his administration and the Dems that want those votes.

[rickb308]

Paul Babeu, the sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, says give him half an hour, and he could tell President Obama how to secure the U.S. border with Mexico.
“We need 6, 000 armed soldiers,” Babeu said.”

I can do it in under 30 seconds:
Dozen rednecks, 24 cases of beer, $2.00 bounty per ear.

[old curmudgeon]

I just looked up the department numbers.

The county is divided into three regions, A, B and C.

48 men with 12 supervisors in A. 37 men and 1 super in B and not posted for C.

It would stand to reason that C would have something like 40 men so his total force including supervisors would be 140 men and women.

With that mighty force, he is supposed to whip all of the banditos in Mexico when even the Mexican army can’t do it.

You just have to feel sorry for the sheriff. He has a hell of a job and no support.

I wonder what would happen if the sheriffs along the border would deputize every able bodied man and woman in their jurisdictions and get donations for some sort of .50 caliber weapon for each deputy....

And turn them loose to clean the place up.

[donna]

And, the 340,000 citizens of Pinal County can foot the bill for the whole country!

[donna]

Sheriff Arpaio in Maricopa County is fighting the battle and the “powers that be” are trying to bring him down with all kinds of investigations.

I think there is just too much drug money for bribes for Arizona to last much longer.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Why would Janet ‘Big Cyst’ Napolitano”

There! Fixed it!

[ottbmare]

This is terrible. However, there is light at the end of this very long and very dark tunnel: we only have to tolerate this for two more years. No matter who is elected in 2012, he or she will close the borders.

[JimRed]

...if we have a border-long minefield, a lot less men would be needed.

Careful! A couple of years ago I advocated mining the border and was threatened with banning or suspension by a Mod for doing so.

[HiJinx]

Ping!

[WOBBLY BOB]

They seem to work well in Turkey,Greece,ROK,and Israel.
(Saw it 1st-hand while stationed on the DMZ.)

I guess they’re all ‘uncivilized’ nations.

[AuntB]

BTT!

Wake up America!

[Teacher317]

This is not a new problem. The GOP had all 3 Houses for several years. What did they do? Not much. One of the many reasons I do not call myself Republican anymore. (I call myself “a limited-government independent”.)

[skeeter]

Babeu lamented the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol agent on Tuesday at the hands of “bandits” – illegal aliens in the U.S. who steal from cartel members who sneak drugs into the United States.

LOL. The state run media described the killers as 'bandits who prey on illegal aliens'.

Its safest to assume they are always lying, any occasional truth telling on their part must be unintentional.

[Labyrinthos]

It's criminal that Obama and Napolitano ignore Sheriffs that are in the middle of the fight to protect Americans.

Obama and Napolitano are continuing the Bush policy.