Anthem to get MCSO Sheriff sub station Four deputies to patrol area

By Becca Gladden

ANTHEM--Residents of Anthem are enjoying greater peace of mind thanks to a newly established Maricopa County Sheriff's Office substation in the area.

On Oct. 23, the Anthem Community Council approved the placement of the substation in Anthem, upon recommendation of the council's safety committee, finance committee, the Anthem posse and members of the Country Club and Parkside Boards.

MCSO Deputy Chief Frank Munnell represented Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the negotiations to bring improved law enforcement coverage to the region, fulfilling a commitment made by the Sheriff in July to base deputies in Anthem.

Previously, while deputies patrolled the Anthem area, they worked out of an MCSO district office in Cave Creek.  Any time an arrest was made or a suspect booked, the deputies had to travel to the district office - a process that took them away from Anthem for as long as three hours at a time.

Under the new arrangement, Anthem residents are being served by four full-time deputies.  They are currently working out of a temporary office, but a permanent substation location will be chosen soon. 

The new office will also be staffed by a desk sergeant and equipped with all the necessary technology to keep deputies in the area rather than traveling back and forth to the district office in Cave Creek.

Stuart Banks led the efforts of a group of Anthem citizens that worked to achieve the goal of improved police coverage.  "We're getting four total officers and a desk sergeant, and we're hoping to get a captain at least part time," said Banks.  "The sheriff not only transferred deputies up here full time working out of Anthem, but he's going to bring up all the computers and the computer-aided dispatching system that allows them to do the pre-booking up here if someone is arrested before they're transferred down to jail."

Banks said the new substation will not be a financial burden on Anthem residents.  "This is not costing the citizens any more money.  Everybody in Anthem lives under an HOA, no matter where in Anthem they live.  No dues are being raised to support this.  It's strictly coming out of the Council and the different funding mechanisms they have."

Anthem’s expansive growth was the main impetus for the citizen's group to press for additional deputies in the area.  "Residents will probably see quicker response times in an emergency," said Banks.  "Right now, in a non-emergency, it could be up to four to five hours until a deputy comes out to do a report.  Hopefully with deputies here, that time will be cut down drastically."

While the new officers will primarily patrol Anthem, Banks explains, "They will be patrolling Desert Hills and New River, too.  But the ones that are based here - unless they have to go to those areas for an emergency - will stay here.  The sheriff, at his discretion, could pull them out at any time for an emergency, and we understand that."

The portion of Anthem on the east side of I-17 is an unincorporated area, while the portion west of the freeway is part of the city of Phoenix.  Through a mutual aid agreement between the Sheriff's Department and the Phoenix Police Department, the Anthem deputies will be dispatched to emergencies west of I-17 if called upon to do so.  "Because residents pay their dues no matter where they live in the community, if a 911 call comes in and the Maricopa County deputy is closer than a Phoenix police officer, then they can respond."

Banks states that for the first year, the substation office space will be rented to the Sheriff's Department for just one dollar a year.  After that, he hopes that the county will pick up the tab for at least one subsequent year. 

"But we're not going to wait," said Banks.  "We're going to start by paying the rent ourselves for the space they're going to be using."