Mall Patrol is one of the biggest of all Posse events each and every year. It is also the Sheriff’s pet project. The Sheriff expects and gets participation from all of his Posse members on this one. Why? Several years ago during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season there was a rash of assaults on shoppers and car jackings occurring at our shopping malls all across the valley. The Sheriff decided, once and for all, that the citizens of Maricopa County deserved better and the Posse came to the rescue and has been there protecting the public ever since.

The Jeep Posse, for the last several years, has been assigned to patrol the Arizona Mills Mall. This mall has its own unique challenges. It is located just north of the town of Guadalupe, just east of I-10, and just south of U.S. 60. This makes for an easy get away for criminals stealing cars, shoplifting and more. Not a year goes by that we don’t have some enterprising individual (read scumbag) try something. We have arrested numerous persons with felony warrants, pursued stolen vehicles, caught shoplifters, broken up fights, and assisted the public in general. Helping people feel safe during the holiday season makes this is a truly satisfying detail.

Jeep Posse members will patrol the parking lot areas in their marked vehicles and are under the supervision of an on-duty deputy. We are supplied with office radios which enables us to be in constant contact with the supervising deputy as well as with radio dispatch. When we see suspicious activity, we contact the deputy, and other Posse members, to coordinate a plan and then we swoop down on the scene! Its lots of fun!