Oro Valley Council Election: Voters Rejected “Big Money Politics”

David clobbered Goliath
Oro Valley voters rejected the politics of “big money from special interests” in the 2022 council election. Just like they did in 2018. Incumbent Barrett, Jones-Ivey, and Nicolson earned 56% of the 45,750 council candidate votes cast in this election. This is comparable to the 58% they earned in 2018. They earned a majority of the votes in nine of the eleven Oro Valley voting precincts [See panel below right]. They got two of every three votes from Rancho Vistoso residents. The only place they earned less than a majority were in the two precincts that comprise the 36-holes of municipal golf. Even there, they earned almost 48% of the vote. 

Challengers got the same vote count result in 2018 when residents voted out “Special Interests”
The campaigns of challengers Joe Erceg, Charlie Hurt and Bill Rodman were financed by developer and real estate special interests, most of whom do not live in Oro Valley. You can read more on their financing in our report of July 25. They earned the same voting results as Joe Hornat, Mary Snider and Lou Waters got in 2018. These three had their campaigns financed by the same sources.

Sharp had no “coattails”
Erceg, Hurt and Rodman were running as an informal slate with mayoral candidate Danny Sharp. Unlike Sharp, whose mayor race with Joe Winfield, was tight, their race for council wasn’t close.

Sharp did well at the polls because he is Danny Sharp: A former Chief of Police who earned the respect of the community after 20 years of building the State’s top police force. That’s a reason for people to vote for Danny. It is not a reason to vote for his running mates.

Coattails are created by what the lead candidate says. It is what Danny Sharp said that caused problems for his candidacy and for that of the three challenging council members.

Sharp advocated for a “Rooftops Strategy” that was rejected by the voters in 2018
Sharp doomed his candidacy when, at the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum, he announced that he was for Hiremath’s “Rooftops Strategy.” This is a strategy to build business in the community by increasing housing substantially. Hiremath tried it for eight years. It did not bring business. It brought congestion and the need to substantially increase town services. Hiremath lost the 2018 election because of this.

Whether they subscribed to this strategy or not, the candidacies of Erceg and Hurt were damaged by it. They were painted as “rooftop guys”, willing to do anything to make home growth happen. Add to this the fact that they were running with Bill Rodman, a former council member during the Hiremath days. Rodman approved all but one of the many General Plan and zoning plan amendments that he saw. Voters know this. Rodman was never going to win. Erceg and Hurt had no way to separate from him or the rooftops strategy even if they wanted to do so.

Labeling the work of the town’s police chief as severely lacking was never going to be a winning strategy in this election

Sharp did not attack Chief Riley directly. Rather, he attacked what he perceived to be the result of her three years of effort. It cost him votes. It cost the council challengers votes. He said that the Oro Valley Police Department is no longer good enough: That Chief Riley and her team, people Sharp groomed to take over, have let the department fall apart. Sharp’s claim was not believable. He had no evidence to back it up. He only had his opinion based on his observations.

Erceg did not follow suit on this in any material way; but Hurt did. From Hurt’s website: “Oro Valley is presently 14 full-time officers below the level it should be in order to maintain and ensure it continues to be the safest place to live in Arizona.” Hurt provided no basis for this statement nor does he have the skill in the area of public safety regarding what should be the staffing level. Rodman also echoed the same thoughts in his first glossy postcard to the community.

They never proved that Oro Valley is in financial trouble
Sharp and the three challenging council candidates alleged that the town is in financial trouble because it has debt and an alleged deficit. You can say it. But you have to prove it. Proving it in this instance was going to be difficult because it’s the first time residents would’ve ever heard that the town is in financial trouble. One would think that the press would’ve covered this, including LOVE. We haven’t seen it. In fact, the town has been flush with cash from the federal government. It has been pressed to spend it all.

They alleged a lack if “transparency” but they couldn’t prove it
Transparency in government is far too vague an issue. Most people don’t even know what it means. Most people don’t know how to measure it. Sharp and the challengers tried to make their case that the Winfield Council has not been transparent. Yet, they couldn’t provide any data to demonstrate that’s the case. They had one case of an alleged open meeting law violation that wasn’t an open meeting law violation.

The fact that the town has had to conduct executive sessions over the years is merely because of the nature of what is being discussed in those sessions, not because anything is being hidden. Indeed, the biggest “hiding of all” was former Mayor Hiremath’s purchase of the El Conquistador courses and the clubhouse. Nothing that any councilmember has done since that date has ever been so duplicitous.

They gave no vision of a better future under their leadership

None of the candidates presented a clear concise vision of the future under their leadership. Rather, they chose to focus on the inadequacies of the current administration and how they would not do “those bad things.” That is not really a winning strategy. Danny Sharp, the three town council challengers, and the PAC created to support them proved that in this election.

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Winfield’s Narrow Win: “A Tale Of Two Deeds”

Winfield’s 2022 Narrow Mayoral Victory is a “tale of two deeds”

There were two major events that involved Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield. One was saving 45-holes of municipal golf. The other was creating a nature preserve from the former Vistoso Golf Course.  Last week, at the polls, Winfield was punished for one and rewarded for the other.

Punishment for making 45-holes of municipal golf financially viable

Joe Winfield inherited a big problem when he entered office in 2018. That problem was 45-holes of municipal golf that, under the leadership of the prior mayor, was a mult-million dollars, money sucking problem. Winfield received a large percentage of the votes in that election because voters thought he would fix the problem: Fix, as in, close one of the18 hole municipal golf courses; turn it into a linear park; and lease the 9-hole Pusch View Course to HSL Properties.

Winfield started in that direction. He was met with substantial golf community resistance. Several hundred members of that community attended multiple hearings on the matter, imploring the Mayor not to close anything. 

There was so much push back that Winfield changed direction. He set out on a course to find a way to make municipal golf financially sustainable with no more than a $750,000 annual town subsidy. According to the town and Winfield, he did just that.

One would think that the municipal golf community would reward Winfield for his success. Rather, they punished him at the polls last week. The two voting precincts that essentially comprise the municipal golf community (precincts 194 and 12) voted overwhelmingly for Danny Sharp last week, Sharp received 2,276 votes. Winfield received 1,650 votes. That’s a difference of 626 votes.  For all of his effort, Winfield got 42% of the vote. That’s quite a punishment for the person who saved Oro Valley Municipal Golf!

Reward for creating the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve

So how did Winfield win? He received overwhelming support for his work in creating a nature preserve from the former Vistoso Golf Course. What he did was to step in to make the deal happen. Negotiations between the owner of the course, involved residents, and the Conservation Fund were “dead in the water.” Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett, together with Town Council Attorney Rothschild got involved, putting the force of the town behind the resident effort to create the preserve. They were successful. It is a reality today.

Last week’s Rancho Vistoso resident vote was a reward for Winfield for his effort. He received 5,942 votes to Danny Sharp’s 4,691. That’s an 1,251 voted difference in favor of Winfield.  Winfield received 65% of the vote in the precinct most closely impacted by the Preserve.

Fortunately for Winfield, the vote count reward he received for doing the right thing to create the nature preserve exceeded the punishment he got for saving municipal golf.

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Four More Years? Yes or No? It’s Up To You

Oro Valley votes for mayor and council tomorrow  
Tomorrow, Oro Valley votes on who will be their Mayor and town council. 

It is a “winner take all scenario for Mayor

The mayor will either be former Police Chief Danny Sharp or Current Mayor Joe Winfield. Four years ago, Winfield won a landslide victory over then Mayor Satish Hiremath. Winfield received more than 58% of the 15,817 votes cast. Four years earlier, Hiremath won a landslide victory over his opponent, receiving more than 62% of the 11,027 votes cast. This earned him a second term as Mayor. 

We’ve covered the mayoral candidates and their views during the past four weeks. Still, we think it important to hear a bit from their supporters on why they support their candidate.

Sharp supporters say Danny is the best candidate

Mary Murphy is a six year resident of Oro Valley. She is also a member or the town’s Board of Adjustment. One of the reasons she chose to live in Oro Valley was the town’s outstanding public safety record. Here’s why Mary believes that Danny Sharp would be an excellent Mayor:

• With a forty-year career in law enforcement, he has a documented record of community and service orientation, and as the spouse of a retired first responder, I fully understand the commitments they make on a daily basis.
• While serving as police chief, he was asked to step in as Acting Town Manager for over a year. He took on this additional challenge without hesitation. That the Town looked for him to take on this task, and his willingness to do it indicate both a high level of competence and a commitment to our community. While filling this role, Danny gained valuable knowledge and insight into all aspects of town operations and funding. This experience is something few mayors have and is critically important here in Oro Valley, considering the current financial climate both locally and nationally.
• Danny was one of the founders of Project Graduation in Oro Valley, a program designed to keep our young people safe on graduation night, and he continues to volunteer his time to this important program. As a mom, this commitment really resonates with me. 
• Danny and his family demonstrate their love of Oro Valley by participating in the “Adopt a Road” program. For years the Sharp family has been clearing trash and debris from a large section of Naranja Drive, helping to keep Oro Valley beautiful. 
• Additionally, Danny is also a member of the Oro Valley Hospital Board, and as someone with a background in the medical field, I find this to be quite admirable. Viewed with his other activities, this shows Danny’s commitment to the town as a whole, one that serves all its residents.

Winfield supporters say that Joe is the best candidate

Jack Stinnett is a long-time resident and former Chairman of the town’s Parks and Recreation Commission. He is passionate about our community and passionate in his support of Joe Winfield. Here are his thoughts:

• The Winfield council has moved Oro Valley forward in every area, and Oro Valley today is the best place to live in Arizona. 
• They have invested in our police officer’s pay and pensions to retain the men and women who keep Oro Valley the safest town in the state. 
• They have improved the town’s financial rating to AA+, and paid off police pension debt that will avoid millions in future pension liabilities. They have used golf savings to improve and expand recreation amenities without any new taxes. Topping it off is our new 202 acre Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve that Joe refused to rezone for high density development. 
• Mayor Winfield’s vision is to grow Oro Valley responsibly. He has self funded his campaign and will decide what is best for residents, NOT Tucson apartment developers, and real estate PACs who have funded his challenger. 
• Finally, Mayor Winfield is the most honest man I know, and we need leaders who tell us the truth even when it is not what we want to hear.

Don’t forget to vote for three open council seats

The Mayor does not make decisions alone. It is the town council of which he is a member, that has the final say. There are six candidates vying for the three open council seats. Here’s who they are:

• Melanie Barrett is the town’s Vice Mayor. One of her focus areas is representing the needs of families with school age children
• Joe Erceg is a business development candidate. Joe wants to bring more sports activities into the community 
• Charlie Hurt has lived in Oro Valley for 16 years. He is a former member and chair of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission and a former member and chair of the town’s Water Utility Commission 
• Joyce Jones-Ivey is a current council member. She takes pride in being an independent thinker. Joyce does not “go along to just get along.” 
• Josh Nicolson brings a financial perspective to the council. His insight into finance was one of the driving forces in the town fully funding the public safety pension plan 
• Bill Rodman served as council member from 2016 to 2020. Rodman is a proponent of growing the town to support business and to support the town’s finances. He voted for all approved general plan and zoning amendments during his prior tour on council. 

These six have affiliated themselves with one of the two mayoral candidates. But you don’t have to vote for one or all of them simply because they have done that. You can “mix and match.” 

We will be back Wednesday to report preliminary results

These results will likely include about 98% of the total votes cast. However, there will still be “provisional” and possibly late mail in ballots not yet counted. It could take a few more days for those.

So, Oro Valley, it’s election time.

Do your job!

Guest View-Bill Garner: Danny Sharp Is Oro Valley’s “One Trick Pony” (Part 2)

Danny Sharp rewrites Oro Valley history to support his story
In a recent Explorer article dated June 22, 2022, entitled “Former OV Police Chief Seeking Mayor’s Office,” Sharp is quoted as saying: 

“I wish that the council would make [public safety] the priority that it always has been. I mean, this town was founded on the premise of strong public safety. They are not attending to that strong public safety piece that the Founding Fathers of Oro Valley thought was important.”

Sharp has rewritten history. 

The reason Oro Valley was incorporated in 1974 was to avoid a property tax as the City of Tucson continued to look towards annexations to the North. 

There is no mention of public safety or police and fire in the original town documents when the Town incorporated in 1974. Therefore, while it may serve Sharp’s story to allege Oro Valley was founded on issues of safety, it is just patently false. 

(Oro Valley’s Founding Fathers could not afford their own police and fire department. They contracted these services through Rural Metro. That company provided private police and fire coverage until 1975.  That is when private police departments were banned by the State.)

Danny Sharp wants you to think that Oro Valley is unsafe so that he can ride in to save the day!

In that same article, Sharp is quoted multiple times claiming that the Oro Valley Police Department is understaffed, which he alleges is affecting the number of officers who are in the high schools and on traffic patrol: 

“Frankly the police department just does not have the staff, the personnel to be able to do these things.”

Sharp’s game plan is to tell you that Oro Valley is not a safe place since he retired a little over two years ago. 

Take a close look at all the interviews and statements made by Sharp to date and you will find a very common theme: Pictures of him in his Oro Valley police uniform, displaying the embroidered Oro Valley police logo—which he knows is a violation of Town code—while making statements about understaffed officers, increased speeding, red-light running, crashes, and graffiti.

Danny Sharp wants you to think that we are doomed without him in power 
"It concerns me that I drive up and down Oracle Road, Tangerine Road, La Cholla and I don’t see any police cars”.

This very subjective statement is meant to suggest that the policing numbers and leadership is so lacking that your safety is in jeopardy.  At various times during the June 28 Greater Oro Valley Candidate Forum, Sharp made statements about how bad public safety is in Oro Valley, However, he did not back up his observations with data. This is because there is no data to support his ramblings.

Sharp described crimes that he felt have increased, like a theft of a catalytic converter from cars or items stolen from cars. He is equating these incidences with a community that is unsafe, in spite of the fact that recent FBI statistics on crime have deemed Oro Valley one of the safest communities in Arizona.  

Danny Sharp will meddle in Oro Valley Police Department Operations
But the most disturbing comment from this forum came at the end when he made the following comment:

“We will see safety in this community if I am elected Mayor in four years because I am going to attend to that.” 

This is yet another interesting comment considering that during my tenure on Town Council, I got nothing but pushback—and later payback—from this very individual because I dared to question even one thing about the police department.  Now, as Mayor, he will use his position on council to “influence” the direction of the police department. 

Do we really want Danny Sharp to meddle with Chief Kara Riley’s leadership, a chief who won public acclaim for her sound managerial expertise two years in a row? 

Danny Sharp is Oro Valley’s “one trick pony”

All he knows is his style of policing and he wants to intimidate and instill a sense of fear that without him in power Oro Valley is doomed. He suggests that our current Mayor and our very able current Police Chief are incompetent. What he is really doing is projecting his own incompetence on two very capable, successful public servants.

I watched Sharp in action during my eight years on the Oro Valley Town Council.

I can emphatically state that we are better off without him. 

If you—like me—are happy with the current direction of our town and the police department, ignore  Sharp’s overblown rhetoric. 

We really do not need this “one trick pony” to perform any more stunts for the residents of Oro Valley

Bill Garner

Oro Valley Town Council Member, 2008-2016

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Guest View-Bill Garner: Danny Sharp Is Oro Valley’s “One Trick Pony” (Part 1)

Danny Sharp lies about his opponent

The Oro Valley citizens have been inundated by multiple postcards and ads paid for by the campaign of “Danny Sharp for Mayor,” telling you that we need a new mayor. 

Look closely at these political hit pieces and examine how easily Sharp is able to throw out lies without any regard for his opponent. Sharp may extoll his integrity, but this behavior is his character. 

His negative campaigning is no surprise coming from our former Police Chief Danny Sharp because I oversaw his smoke and mirrors management tactics from 2008 -2016 as an elected member of the Oro Valley Town Council. It was during that time, especially when I attempted to do my job as an elected official and provide oversight to then Chief Sharp, that I discovered the depth of his ineptitude and extent of his fondness for abuse of power.

Danny Sharp is financially inept

There is perhaps no better example of Mr. Sharp’s combination of incompetence and arrogance than his inability to make sound decisions during difficult times. During the fiscal 2009/2010 budget cycle, he was so ill equipped to cut costs during a budget crisis that he had to reach out to an Oro Valley resident for help with the police budget. That resident was John Musolf, a retired budget and finance guy with over 40 years of experience. 

You see, then Chief Sharp had gotten himself into some financial trouble. When asked, like every other department head, to come up with cuts to his budget, he would only offer the elimination of six Community Action Team police officers. He believed that doing this would be so objectionable that it would exempt him from the work of the budget cutting exercise. 

When the Town Council pushed back on his idea, then Chief Sharp found himself at a loss. Thankfully, John Musolf agreed to meet with Chief Sharp, the Deputy Chief, and his Administrative Services Manager to come up with an alternative budget. After  assistance, the total savings in the police budget exceeded $1.3M with no cuts to police staffing. 

In a vote that had the full support of the police, staff, and citizens, the Oro Valley Town Council unanimously approved the 2009/2010 police budget. Sharp came along for the ride, but by no means was he the architect of the solution.

When Danny Sharp was “acting town manager” he had to hire an Assistant Town Manager to do his job for him

Sharp speaks to his service as acting town manager as his qualification to be mayor. He served as acting town manager from June 2016 to September 2017, exactly one year and three months on the job. The Town operates on a July fiscal cycle, which means during his tenure Sharp only contributed to one Town budget (2017/2018 fiscal year). He made that contribution by hiring Town Finance Director Stacey Lemos to be his Assistant Town Manager. 

Sharp added that assistant town manager position to an existing budget where no such position was funded, something for which the Hiremath council should have admonished him but didn’t. This position had been removed by the former Town Manager Greg Caton as unnecessary. But Sharp reversed that decision because for him it was very necessary. 

As I have stated, Sharp needed Lemos because he has no financial background. He was no model of monetary efficiency as Police Chief. One could conclude that if Sharp needed to hire someone to do his job as Town Manager, he will need to seriously augment the office of mayor to provide even the appearance that he has any competence at all. What will that cost the taxpayers?

When it comes to spending, Danny Sharp loves his “pet projects”

This brings me to Danny Sharp’s claims that the current mayor and council are mismanaging your funds and are on a reckless spending spree to include pet projects. Sharp was the “King Of Pet Projects” when he served as Police Chief.

During the time the Hiremath council enjoyed a majority (2011 to 2018), Sharp’s overall police budget increased every single year. During this time, the number of police officers never increased. The staffing level of 133 police department positions remained the same. His spending increased but the number of officers serving the community didn’t. 

Where did the money go? 

Pet projects of the police variety.

Did you know we had a bicycle patrol during Sharp’s tenure as police chief? Under his watch in 2008, the program was restarted with the cost for bicycles and equipment at $19,000. The only overt sign that Oro Valley had a bicycle patrol were the bike racks mounted on the back of patrol cars. One might ask how this expenditure added to public safety. Or perhaps this program was just another item to tick off the list when he spoke of his innovative policing model on the lecture circuit? We should all wonder how much the Town recovered from their initial expenditure when the program was again abandoned.

This is but one example of Sharp’s lack of respect for taxpayer money. 

You see, Sharp isn’t so bothered by pet projects if they are beneficial to the mystique he weaves about his unsurpassed skills in devising perfection in the policing model. 

But wait. There’s even more…
The Daniel G. Sharp Police Department Substation and Evidence Facility is located at 500 W. Magee Road. It is another example of fiscal mismanagement under Mr. Sharp’s watch. 

During the 14 months of project construction, you, the taxpayer, were saddled with over $2 million in unnecessary cost overruns. The 22,000 square-foot facility had a final buildout cost of about $6.1 million. The original building and property was purchased by the town through foreclosure for $315,000.. Sharp spent 20 times the building purchase price for this substation!

Now, let’s look at the lack of regionalization of special units during the early days of Danny Sharp’s tenure as Police Chief. Beginning in 1991, the Town of Oro Valley Police Department had its own SWAT team. You read that right—and we even had an armored personnel vehicle, not to mention the training and equipment costs that go into a dedicated unit. The Oro Valley taxpayers funded SWAT for 14 years, until SWAT was regionalized with Pima County in 2005, because regionalization of this type of effort makes good fiscal sense. 

One might reasonably ask: Why did it take Danny Sharp five years as Police Chief to pursue regionalization of the SWAT team if, as he alleges, he is so superior to the current mayor, council, and police chief in fiscal management of police resources?  He was building his empire at the expense of taxpayers. 

Danny Sharp’s only negotiating skill is “retaliation”

During my tenure on the Town Council, as a councilmember with a background in public safety, I attempted to provide input and oversight into Mr. Sharp’s financial excesses. It was my job to do so as your council representative. Sharp retaliated against me for doing my job. When I ran again for council in 2020,  he called me anti-cop, authoring a smear narrative on a glossy mailer accusing me of being against your safety. Hence, the hateful mailers, ads, and lies he is propagating in this election cycle are no surprise to me. [Note: Read LOVE’s report on this of July 9, 2020)

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Read “Part 2” of Bill Garner’s Guest View tomorrow in LOVE.

Mayoral Candidate Danny Sharp: “We Need More Rooftops”

Mayoral Candidates Danny Sharp and current Mayor Joe Winfield have different approaches to “Development”

This was noted at the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum of June 28. 

Sharp advocates for the “rooftop strategy”. Winfield does not

Danny Sharp stated at the Forum that Oro Valley needs to bring in on-site retail business in order to grow sales tax revenues.  According to Sharp: “We have to bring in more retail. We don’t have the retail because we need to bring in more rooftops.”

Winfield believes that the General Plan should guide whether variances and general plan amendments should be approved. The Winfield Council abided by the General plan during the past four years. Winfield promised to do so when he ran in 2018 and he did so. Only one general plan amendment was submitted and it was rejected because it did not fit the concept for that area.

The “rooftops strategy” is a revisit to the Hiremath Years

The “rooftops strategy” is a revisit to the Mayor Satish Hiremath years (2010-2018) of leadership. It was his strategy. Hiremath was eager to grow rooftops because he felt it would attract retail business and increase the town’s sales tax revenue. His council, which included current council candidate Bill Rodman and current Council Member Steve Solomon, approved a slew of general plan amendments, converting land into high density residential zoning. His council was so eager to increase rooftops that they approved several general plan amendments before the citizen vote that approved the 2016 “Your Voice, Our Future” general plan was ratified by the Secretary of State.

The “rooftops strategy” added to congestion but did not foster retail business success

As LOVE reported, the Hiremath Council left Oro Valley with a large pipeline of residences to build. As a result, the town’s population has and will continue to grow substantially.  Still, onsite retail struggles in this town before, during and now after the Pandemic. One merely needs to look at the vacancies at the Oro Valley Marketplace and the need for complete revisioning as an example of the failure of this strategy. Indeed, one could reasonably question the feasibility of the “rooftop strategy” in today’s retail world, a world where on-line retailing, a lack of personnel, and huge supply chain issues are plaguing brick and mortar retailers. 

We believe it was the rejection of the “rooftops strategy” that propelled Winfield, Barrett, Jones-Ivey and Nicholson to win the 2018 election, defeating Hiremath and his team. Voters were tired of the congestion that the rooftop strategy has caused.

Sharp will be more aggressive in pursuing growth.

For example, Sharp would have approved the Oro Valley Marketplace revisioning as presented 

Sharp blames Winfield for not approving the Oro Valley Marketplace revisioning as presented to council.

Sharp stated at the Forum: “When people propose projects we need to be sensitive to the fact that this costs them money. We need to be sensitive…We should have told Town West years ago that what they were proposing would not be approved and that they needed to come up with something that fits within the town’s framework.”

What was presented to council was vetted by town staff in detail, vetted at neighborhood meetings, vetted by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and vetted at a public hearing before council. This is the town’s process. There was no opportunity for the Council to tell Town West anything because the council can only discuss the project together in public at a hearing after this process has been completed. 

After all this, however, what was presented to council-15 exceptions to code, 75 foot tall buildings, and minimal road setbacks- was “not in character” with the town. Still, the council wanted to shape this project because the Oro Valley Marketplace is a commercial disaster; so they continued the application as opposed to rejecting it.

We believe that it is reasonable to conclude that Sharp would have approved the project as presented because the developer had invested so much into it and because the project had gone through a long process.

Sharp does agree with Winfield in one area. According to Sharp, speaking at the forum: “If [a developer] brings in something that is not in character with the town, we need to find a compromise to get to ‘Yes.’”That is exactly what Winfield did. In June, Town West, the owner of the Marketplace, presented a new plan that is more in line with existing codes and the character of the town . It is a revised plan that both Sharp and Winfield said they would support.

 "The properties currently under consideration for annexation

by the Town of Oro Valley are the two State Land‐ owned sites

indicated on the map below, referred to as Tangerine North

(302 acres), and Tangerine South (550 acres)."

Sharp will vigorously pursue the annexation of the Tangerine State Lands

Both Sharp and Winfield agree that town should annex the Tangerine Road State Lands. This is 852 acres, split into two portions (panel left). Sharp asserts that it should have happened long ago because he worked on it with State Lands when he was interim town manager (June 2016 to September 2017). 

However, as stated by Winfield and as reported in LOVE, the State discontinued conversation with the town in July of 2019 because State Lands was short of staff. They were to continue discussions in November of that year but failed to do so. Sharp would seek to restart these discussions immediately. The town’s annexation plan calls for seeking this annexation in the near term.

…Though not all residents want this annexation

It is not at all clear that residents want the town to annex these lands and open them for development. Annexation and development of these lands met significant opposition from residents when presented at neighborhood meetings.

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Is Public Safety An Election Issue?

Is Oro Valley public safety an election issue?

It is. According to Candidate Danny Sharp, Oro Valley is not as safe as it once was.

It is not.  According to Candidate and current Mayor Joe Winfield, Oro Valley is the safest community in Arizona.

 

The differences in their thinking were “front and center” at the Greater Oro Valley Chamber Candidate Forum of June 28.

Mayoral Candidate Danny Sharp believes that public safety isn’t as good as it was and isn’t good enough

Danny Sharp made it clear at the forum on two occasions that Public Safety in Oro Valley is not good enough. In his opening remarks, Sharp noted: “When I am elected Mayor I will work to restore public trust by getting the Police Department the staffing needed to address the safety issues in our community and the threats looming from outside.”

Later in the forum, when asked how Oro Valley will be different in four years of his leadership, Sharp said that Oro Valley will be safer: “We talk about Oro Valley being the safest community in the state. Those are based on figures from 2020. I’m concerned about the fact that we don’t have enough police officers to do the job. I’m concerned about the vision that this Mayor and Council has given the police department so we can be understaffed to the point where we have to pull high school resource officers out of our high school. I drive up and down Oracle Road, Tangerine, LaCholla and I don’t see any police cars. I don’t see traffic stops. I see speeders. I see red light runners. I see tailgating in my rear view mirror.

The town is not as safe as it was.. People cant’t go to Riverfront Park and go for a walk without their Catalytic Converter being stolen. Or breaking out their window and stealing their purse. That’s not a safe community”. 

Sharp said that public safety will be a top priority if elected.

Candidate Joe Winfield disagrees: Oro Valley is safe because Chief Riley and her team are getting the job done.

Joe Winfield asserted at the forum that Oro Valley continues to be the safest community in Arizona. He points to FBI statistics and crime scores. He noted that Chief Kara Riley was twice voted best community leader. He noted that Oro Valley has more police per capita than Marana, Tucson and Sahuarita and pays its police officers more than any other town.

According to Winfield, to say that Oro Valley is not safe is a disservice to Chief Riley, the command staff, and the 103 men and women to put their lives on the line every day in service to the community.

Some added information

Three points of information for you to consider. First, the above panel shows the latest publicly reported crime statistics.

Second, in May, Chief Riley addressed the council. As we reported at that time, the objective of the Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) is to be the best police agency in Arizona. The department is adding four positions in fiscal 2023. Two of these positions are officer positions. One of the four positions will free an officer for field work. That is a net increase of three field officers. Chief Riley stated at that time that the added positions she requested in this year’s budget was everything the department needs to meet its objective.

Third, in June, the OVPD was again acknowledged for excellence. “Special recognition and congratulations goes to Chief Riley and her entire PD Team for successfully completing the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP). The department was found in compliance with the 170 established standards and will be recommended for accreditation at the next ALEAP Commission meeting, with final approval expected. Oro Valley joins 20 other agencies across the state with this accreditation.” (Source: Town Manager’s Executive Report To Council, July 2022)

You be the judge 

Whether you agree with Danny Sharp’s observations or Joe Winfield’s facts, it is clear that the approaches to public safety of the two will be very different. 

Joe Winfield has been “hands off” when it comes to the OVPD. The OVPD has operated without his direct involvement. He has expressed his confidence in Chief Riley and the police force on numerous occasion. He will not “second guess” her judgment. We expect this behavior to continue. 

A Mayor Sharp will have a more “hands on” role when it comes to the OVPD. How involving that role becomes is yet to be determined.

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Guest View-Diane Peters: Danny Sharp’s Claim Is Quite A Stretch

Mayoral Candidate Danny Sharp’s comment in the Explorer
In the June 22nd edition of the Explorer, Oro Valley mayoral candidate Danny Sharp continued his battle cry that the OVPD is understaffed, and then says, “I mean this town was founded on the premise of strong public safety. They [the Winfield council] are not attending to that strong public safety piece that the Founding Fathers of Oro Valley thought was important."

This is the first time I’ve heard that Oro Valley was founded on the premise of strong public safety. Every article I’ve read on this topic over the years has stated that Oro Valley was founded because residents didn’t want to be annexed into Tucson. They wanted to control their own destiny. They wanted to protect the desert landscape. The founders also promised that Oro Valley would never have a property tax. Now that the former chief of police is running for mayor, suddenly we’re told that Oro Valley was founded on the premise of strong public safety.

The Oro Valley Historical Society (OVHS) published an article on LOVE in April 2021 about Oro Valley Founding Father, Jim Kriegh. They listed all of the reasons that he wanted to incorporate Oro Valley. Strong public safety is not mentioned.

Here is what was mentioned in the OVHS article:

The Main Reason was to continue “Country Living”
When asked why he wanted to incorporate Oro Valley, Kriegh said the main reason was that he believed that Tucson was “going to spread to the North and Northwest, and there goes country living. Country living is why I am here.”

With that, Kriegh ensured that his core value of protecting the environment was encompassed in Oro Valley’s first General Plan which included the following objectives:

• Ensure that development is compatible with the area’s topography, natural landscape and resources

• Promote physical forms which are in harmony with the natural environment and reflect a design quality appropriate to the area

• Protect the natural beauty and qualities of the existing desert environment

• Encourage the preservation of the mountains, foothills, and hillsides

Police protection was barely a blip on Kriegh’s radar screen
In a video interview that Jim gave many years ago, he was asked why he wanted to form a separate town. In that interview he again spoke of land use issues and that the founders were not happy with the Planning and Zoning being approved by the Pima County Board of Supervisors and that the Board was not responding to their desires and requests. This was why the founders wanted to “gain control of our area.” He briefly mentioned that the Pima County Sheriff’s Department was “spread too thin and just could not cover the area” and as such, he felt that our police protection could be better. But this comment was barely a blip on the radar screen and he never said that Oro Valley was founded on the premise of strong public safety.

The recurring theme in Jim Kriegh’s plan
As you can see, the recurring theme in Kriegh’s desire to incorporate was to preserve country living. Therefore, Sharp’s assertion that “this town was founded on the premise of strong public safety” is quite a stretch.

Our public safety is doing just fine under Mayor Winfield
In April of this year, the Town announced that, “OV was ranked the #1 safest place to live in Arizona for 2022 by Elite Personal Finance, using FBI statistics and crime scores.”

Additionally, as reported on LOVE on May 16th, during the May 2022 Budget Study Session, Chief Riley stated that she got everything she asked for in her $19.1M police budget request. (Town Manager’s Recommended Budget for FY 2022/23 which begins on July 1, 2022). You can read about it HERE. And on June 24th, the OVPD announced that they were hiring more lateral police officers.

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Diane Peters has lived in Oro Valley since 2003, moving here to escape the humidity of the East Coast. She’s been involved in OV politics and development issues since 2006, including organizing a citizens group in 2014 that spent 9 months negotiating a controversial 200-acre development project. In her past life, she worked in medical research at various University Hospitals in New England. Her interests include reading, writing, nature photography, travel, art galleries, museums, and politics.

Guest View-Kathleen Robinson: Danny Sharp Is A Leader For Our Times

I want to thank LOVE for the recent work and time you have devoted to sharing the current activities occurring in Oro Valley with the public. 

The recent topics you’ve covered in LOVE about the upcoming elections and the decisions made by our current Mayor and Council need to be discussed and heard. 

I have been a resident of Oro Valley for more than 25 years. After working and living in the City of Tucson, my husband and I chose to relocate and move our family north to the town of Oro Valley. Many things factored into this decision, to include the educational opportunities for our children and their safety. We wanted to raise our children in a safe and vibrant community. We watched Oro Valley grow and prosper and were excited to be a part of its development. Back then, the government was open and transparent, and the community was fully involved and engaged in its growth and progress.

One of the reasons for this was the leadership and direction provided by the Oro Valley Chief of Police, Danny Sharp. I spent close to 32 years with the Tucson Police Department and have known Chief Sharp for more than 40 years. As a young officer, and later as a Commander and Assistant Chief, I worked closely with him and his wife at the Tucson Police Department. When he accepted the job as Chief of Police in Oro Valley, I was thrilled and excited for him. I watched him set the tone for the department and the agency. Under his leadership, the officers flourished and performed at their optimal level. The training he provided and obtained for his officers and the relationships they developed with the community was outstanding! The development and mentoring of his Commanders, to include the current Chief Kara Riley, was second to none. His ability to communicate, engage the community, build trust, and his desire to help others really put his agency and the town of Oro Valley on the map. His focus on public safety in our schools and the community was vitally important to him. Oro Valley developed a reputation as one of the best and safest cities in the State of Arizona.

In recent years, that has all changed! The current lack of transparency, decision making and toxic dynamics in our Mayor and Council Offices is hurting our community.

 

Public Service, no matter what office you hold, is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. We need a change in our leadership. The town is floundering. The weak leadership and decisions being made by our town government is having a detrimental effect on Oro Valley. The town deserves better! I love Oro Valley and I know that we can do better! It is time for a positive change, and I believe that Danny Sharp is the one to lead the town and this change. I fully support Danny Sharp in his quest to be elected Mayor. I am hoping that the community is ready to get involved and vote “Danny Sharp for Mayor” on August 2, 2022.

Sincerely, Kathleen Robinson

Assistant Chief of Police (Retired)

Guest View-Danny Sharp: Greetings LOVE Readers

In early July, Oro Valley voters will be receiving ballots for the 2022 election or a Mayor and three town council members. LOVE plans to keep you informed regarding each candidate. In this regard, we’ve offered the pages of LOVE to each candidate. We’ve asked that they submit guest views. Danny Sharp, mayoral candidate,  has provided the following “Guest View”.

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Greetings LOVE readers,

With only a few weeks until early ballots are sent out, I thought I would take a moment to check in and give all of you a quick update. I have really been enjoying meeting with business owners and residents in the community. I have met so many wonderful people who have just moved to Oro Valley in the last couple years, and when I ask them why they chose Oro Valley, the answer is always the same- they came for the great schools and for the safety.

As many of you know, I spent twenty years of my lengthy law enforcement career serving our community as Chief of Police and I worked diligently alongside our incredible Police Department Staff and our great community members to ensure that Oro Valley was one of the safest Towns in all of Arizona. I wanted to be a Chief who was easily accessible and who encouraged resident input. I hosted many community outreach programs, such as “Coffee With a Cop”’, where I was able to engage with residents. I prided myself on being accessible, transparent, and trustworthy and I absolutely plan to continue with these same values as Mayor.

For those of you who are unaware, there will be a public forum on June 28th at the Church of the Nazarene. Please see the attached flyer for more details. 

Please remember that this election will be decided in the Primary and not the General Election. In-person voting is Aug. 2nd. Please contact the Pima County Recorder’s Office to obtain an early ballot or to have one sent to you, should you be out of town

Respectfully,

Danny Sharp

Bits and Pieces

Former Vistoso Golf Course is now "Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve"

The Oro Valley Town Council selected a name for the former Vistoso Golf Course preserve. They did so a this past Wednesday's town council meeting. 

There were 1,500 unique names submitted by more than 2,500 residents in a contest to name the former course. The council selected from among the top three as voted by town residents. The name, Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve," received the the most resident votes and was the final selection of council.

Oro Valley Village Center (aka Oro Valley Marketplace) visioning continues
Town West returned to the Oro Valley Town Council Wednesday night to seek guidance as they prepare to resubmit their plan for the Oro Valley Village Center to council. They were seeking guidance on the height of the two hotels. 

According to Keri Silvyn, Town West attorney, the hoteliers (Springhill Suites Marriot and Hilton Hampton Suites) require four floor buildings. That means a height of 49 feet plus 10 added feet for architecture. That brings the height 10 feet greater than the PAD permits. All council members were in favor of the increased height. 

The discussion then turned to the location of one of the hotels. Most members favored putting that hotel on Oracle as opposed to it being Tangerine. The other hotel will be in the entertainment area. 

Town West will continue the process, resubmitting their proposal to town staff. According to Silvyn, the development conforms with all other PAD requirements.

Sharp to speak at OVSBC meeting next week

Mayoral candidate Danny Sharp will be the guest speaker on May 25 at an Oro Valley Social & Business Club (OVSBC) gathering. The event is from 5-7pm at the Fork and Fire Grille in the Oro Valley Marketplace. The event is $20 cash at the door and includes food and music. Cash bar. OVSBC supports local restaurants, small businesses and Veterans/First Responders. This is not a candidate fundraising event.

Oro Valley invites community to Naranja Park groundbreaking ceremony 

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (May 17, 2022) – The Town of Oro Valley is ready to break ground on the Naranja Park Expansion Project, a multi-million-dollar investment that will bring new amenities to this already established park. Community members of all ages are invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, which will be held Tuesday, May 31 from 9 to 10 a.m. at Naranja Park (810 W Naranja Drive). The groundbreaking will feature remarks from Parks and Recreation Director Kristy Diaz-Trahan and Mayor Joe Winfield. Following the ceremony, families are invited to stay and play at Naranja Park with free commemorative kites made specifically as a keepsake for the event.. (Source: Town of Oro Valley Press Release)

Town unveils third mural

There's a new mural in Oro Valley. According to Town Manager Mary Jacobs, "The mural was inspired by the beautiful starry nights in Oro Valley and the beautiful desert colors." The mural is on the concession stand in Riverfront Park. The town's other murals are at James D Kreigh Park and the Oro Valley Marketplace.

Town of Oro Valley accepting applications for Planning and Zoning Commission vacancy 

 ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (May 19, 2022) – The Town of Oro Valley is accepting applications to fill an immediate vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Commission.  To serve on an Oro Valley commission, members must be residents of Oro Valley, be able to attend the designated meetings and complete the Town’s Community Academy within their term. Planning and Zoning Commission members serve two-year terms. Those interested in applying can visit the application process on our website. The vacancy will remain open until filled. The Planning and Zoning Commission holds public meetings and makes recommendations to the Town Council on matters relating to the General Plan, zoning code amendments, rezoning and other land use requests. The commission meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in the Oro Valley Council Chambers.

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Bits and Pieces

"Founders Cup Trophy" named after Danny Sharp
The  "Founders Cup Trophy, " has been named after Mayoral Candidate Danny Sharp and former council member Mary Snider. This year, the trophy was won by the Ironwood Ridge Teachers golf foursome at the "OV Cup" event. The event was held on February 4 at the Municipal Golf Course.

"Twenty years ago, the idea for launching Project Grad came to fruition when Mary [Snider, former Oro Valley Council Member] and I met in my office at the Oro Valley Police Department. Project Grad is a program that focuses on graduating seniors having a fun and safe event, held at the school all night long, and I'm proud to say that since the program's inception, we have not had a single incident related to graduation nights.

A hearty thank you to Jim Miller (pictured here) for helping make it such a fun and successful event. We are already looking forward to next year's Cup, which will be the last under Jim Miller's leadership, and celebrating all his accomplishments and his incredible dedication to our OV youth. And a huge thank you to everyone else who participated and helped make it such a special day, for all of your hard work and efforts, and for your part in making the OV Cup the largest fundraiser for our community's Project Grad."

(Source)

Big Wash Trailhead temporarily closing for bank protection construction
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (Feb. 10, 2022) ––The Big Wash Trailhead and parking lot will be temporarily closed for bank protection construction starting Feb. 21 through April 4; however, the trail itself will remain open to the public and can be accessed from other locations.

It was the Town’s intent to keep both the trailhead and trail open, as stated in a Sept. 30, 2021 press release announcing construction of the nearby Tranquilo housing development. However, out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to temporarily close the trailhead for public safety while concrete bank protection is built.
(Source:Town of Oro Valley Press Release, Feb 10,, 2022)

Off The Vine Wine Festival

"Join the Arizona wine industry at the Historic Steam Pump Ranch" on February 19, from 11am to 6pm "for the Off the Vine Arizona Wine Festival. Enjoy some of Arizona's best wines and interact with the winemakers whose creations will amaze. The centerpiece of the venue is a historic 1800's ranch house, and docent tours will be available. The event will feature exclusive tastings from 15 of Arizona's vineyards and wineries, live local music, great vendors, and even better times. Buy your tickets prior to the event to save $5. Don’t miss your chance to taste and take home Arizona's wines!"

(Source)

Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce Golf Scramble February 18

"Join your Chamber on Friday, Feb. 18 as we scramble at the Pusch Ridge golf course. We'll have a shotgun start at 3 p.m. Cost is $35 / person [$140 Foursome] and includes cart as well as 1 drink ticket and appetizers afterwards. There will be prizes; closest to the pin for men and women, longest drive for men and women, and the low-score foursome. Register here."

(Source)

Mayoral Candidate Dan Sharp Continues Community Outreach

This coming August, Oro Valley voters will vote for the a Mayor and three town council members. LOVE plans to keep you informed regarding each candidate.

The following is an update from Mayoral Candidate Dan Sharp.

Listening to the community

"It has been a great couple months. A key aspect of my campaign and governing style is to listen and learn. It has been incredibly gratifying to meet with hundreds of residents and businesses to better learn the issues of greatest concern to them. Only in this way can we build the type of team consensus to truly move Oro Valley forward to be the best community in Arizona.

Will be at "Rockin' For Heroes"

I’m excited to report that there is a large outdoor event called Rockin’ For Heroes, which will take place on Dec. 11th, at the Oro Valley James D. Kriegh Park. This event recognizes and thanks community members who selflessly serve our town and country. They will be honoring our First Responders, Active-Duty Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families. Due to generous donations from our community businesses, this event will be free for all who attend. Any additional proceeds will be going to support our Non-Profit Memorial Project that will be built at Naranja Park.

Celebrates success of "Project Grad"

As your readers likely know, “Project Grad” will be here soon. This is a truly remarkable program that has undoubtedly saved some of our most precious population, our graduating teens. Since its inception, we have not lost one senior from impaired or distracted driving on graduation night. For the last 15 years we have provided a safe and sober environment for over 13,000 Amphi students. We should all be extremely proud of this effort which takes the involvement of the entire community. Our teachers, parents and the business community come together to create an exciting, alcohol-free event that lasts through the entire night, allowing students to return safely to their loved-ones.

Welcome's your input

I look forward to engaging with our community during the campaign and I encourage you all to contact our campaign for more information or to host a "Meet and Greet" where I can speak with your friends and neighbors. I can always be reached at: Dannysharpformayor@gmail.com.

Please visit our website: www.dannysharpformayor.com "

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Bits and Pieces

Oro Valley announces final phase of fall pavement preservation 

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (Nov. 10, 2021) –– The Town of Oro Valley Public Works Department has released the schedule for the final phase of fall pavement preservation work on various roads within town limits. This upcoming treatment phase will begin Nov. 15 through Dec. 3, 2021, weather permitting. 

The Town’s pavement preservation program is a Council funded priority that is data driven. Roads that receive treatment are prioritized based on when they were treated or constructed last. Pavement preservation extends the pavement life and is far less expensive than replacing the asphalt.

It is important to note that the treated road cannot be driven on for 24 hours after it’s finished. Those who live in an area scheduled for pavement preservation will receive a door notice with information two days before work begins. The town asks that residents plan ahead, observe posted traffic signs and yield to construction workers.

Learn more here.

(Source: Town of Oro Valley Press Release)

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OV prosecutor Troy Simon wins Guardian of Freedom Award 

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (Nov. 10, 2021) – Oro Valley’s Assistant Town Prosecutor Troy Simon has been awarded the prestigious Guardian of Freedom Award for his work on the Ron Bell case. 

 

The Guardian of Freedom Award is issued by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council. Established in 2018, the award pays tribute to Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein and her husband, Kurt Klein. The Kleins, who advocated for Holocaust education and human rights, recognized lawyers as living embodiments of the United States Constitution and often the last line of defense for the rights of both victims and the accused. The award honors legal professionals in Arizona who live up to the Kleins’ ideals by making professional and ethical decisions, regardless of the outcome of the case. As such, this is not necessarily an annual award; rather, it is awarded as exceptional actions warrant.

Learn more here.

(Source: Town of Oro Valley Press Release)

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Mayoral Candidate Dan Sharp to attend "Meet and Greet"

The Village 15 "The Links" HOA Board of Directors has invited Mayoral Candidate Danny Sharp to a meet and greet event"on November 20 from 4pm - 6pm at the end of the cul-de-sac on Crystal Downs. "He will be there to meet the residents of our village and answer questions you might have. The intent of the meet and greet is to connect with new and existing neighbors. It is not the intent of the HOA Board to endorse any candidate. We will offer the same opportunity to meet our residents to other candidates, once they are announced. Hope to see you there!"

(Source: HOA Email)

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Election 2022: Danny Sharp Meeting With Community In Shaping His Mayoral Candidacy

This coming August, Oro Valley voters will cast ballots for the position of Mayor and three town council seats. LOVE plans to keep you informed of the candidacy of all who run for Council. 

LOVE will “play it straight”.  We will not endorse any candidate. Rather, we will do our best to provide you unfiltered information so that you can make an informed decision. 

Our pages will be open to any candidate who wants to communicate directly to you. With that in mind, we asked Danny Sharp to give us an update on his Mayoral candidacy. Danny is the town’s former Chief of Police.

Here’s the latest from Danny dated October 7:

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“Since my announcement, I have been overwhelmed with the support I have received from our community. I’ve been busy meeting with residents and business owners in an effort to listen to their concerns, and learn as much as possible about the issues that matter the most to them. 

Public Safety is definitely a key issue with our residents, and one that has been integral throughout my entire career. As many know, I had the privilege and honor of serving our community as Chief of Police for over twenty years and I understand just how important Safety is in our community. 

As Mayor, I plan to take an inclusive approach and use my experience as a team builder and collaborator to expand upon the community policing model that I instituted during my tenure as police chief, and apply this successful approach to the rest of town government.

Through this inclusive and fully transparent approach we can ensure the economic prosperity of our community, the availability of good well-paying jobs, and the further enhancement of our quality of life all while ensuring that the Town of Oro Valley never has to institute a property tax.”

For more information please visit www.dannysharpformayor.com.

Manning the Skies: The OVPD UAV Program

Not in your backyard
If an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly called a “drone”, is hovering over your house, it’s definitely not operated by the Oro Valley Police Department. “We don’t use our UAV’s for surveillance on our citizens.” This according to Lieutenant John Teachout of the Oro Valley Police Department. 

Teachout is the department’s Special Operations Lieutenant. Among his many responsibilities is the oversight of the town’s UAV program. This is a program that currently has five UAV’s, piloted by fourteen FAA licensed police officers. 

 
UAV use pilot tested at the 2017 Oro Valley Music Festival
The town’s UAV program started at the 2017 Oro Valley Music Festival. “I was responsible for overseeing the security.” The event was taking place shortly after the tragic Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip. The Saguarita Police Department had recently started a UAV program. Teachout asked them to bring their UAV to the event to see how it would work the perimeter security. He was looking for bad guys and suspicious vehicles, such as unusual people coming into the event “…in the middle of the summer with a trench coat.” Fortunately, there were none that day. John found that the UAV’s provided another use. That was the better deployment of the officers handling security around the facility. 

Sharp sees the UAV program… starts program
After learning of these positive results, Then Police Chief Daniel Sharp told John to “start the program.” Armed with about $25,000 in confiscated racketeering funds, Teachout took on the task of learning more about the technology and the UAV options. He selected DJI as the platform to use. “They have the bulk of the market.” The town bought three UAVs. Now they have five. All are controlled using the Global Positioning System (“GPS”). 

UAVs serve two primary uses
The UAV’s are used for two primary purposes: “Search and Rescue” and “Crime Scene Mapping.”
Sergeant Marshall Morris responsible for the operation of the UAV program, demonstrated how it is used for mapping traffic accident scenes. “We set placards on the ground in the area and use those as the guides for mapping.” The UAV will “…go through a flight pattern and take a bunch of photos. We download those to software that puts the photos together into a 3D like image.” 

 
This method is much more accurate than the previous method of walking the grid; taking pictures and measurements. It is more readily accepted in court, if needed. UAV mapping has the advantage of allowing the officers to open the road more quickly. “People don’t like to be delayed.“ 

Nab the bad guys
Occasionally, the UAV is used on a criminal investigation. For example, the Department used them to for surveillance on an alleged illegal drug operation in Pima County. The operation was selling the illegal drugs in Oro Valley. They were operated pursuant to a warrant. The Department needed to us an aerial surveillance approach because the property had seven foot walls surrounding it. They hovered at 400 feet and were able to use what they had to “nab the bad guys.” 

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A shout out to our Police Department:

Lieutenant John Teachout is the town’s special operations Lieutenant. He oversees the officers (motorcycle officers, crash investigators, DUI officers), the canine program, the regional motorcycle training program, regional asset teams, and the UAV program. He has been on the force for 26 years doing “Mostly uniform stuff”. He has served under three chiefs: Werner Wolfe, who subsequently became a town council member; Dan Sharp, who is a 2022 candidate for Mayor; and current chief, Kara Riley. There were 15 officers when he joined the department. There are more than 100 today.