The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors accepted a $626,000 state grant from the Arizona Department of Public Safety to expand the antidrug Partners Against Narcotics Trafficking task force (PANT) during its meeting. The funds are being reallocated from the Drug Interdiction Fund, formerly known as the Border Strike Force Fund.
Governor Katie Hobbs claimed the strike force was not meeting its goals. SB 1720, a general appropriations bill passed May 11, allocated $17.145 million for border drug interdiction, $12.232 million for local border support and $3 million for fentanyl prosecution. Yavapai County will receive $337,500 for search and rescue equipment and $22,600 for juvenile detention. Yavapai College will also receive $4 million. Funding intended for local border support may be used by municipalities and counties to deal with border-related crime, suspect detention and related equipment needed to carry out those duties.
