(The Center Square) – A new border operations center in Cochise County is meant to help authorities at all levels of government.
The Oletski Border Operations Center is specifically meant for criminal investigations related to the border, such as the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, and “coordination” between different authorities, including the local sheriff’s department, state officials and federal law enforcement.
Cochise County was granted $41 million from the state’s Border Security Fund, and $35 million was allocated toward the sheriff’s office, and a portion of those funds were used to support the centers efforts.
Gov. Katie Hobbs said that the “issues we’re dealing with here in Cochise County related to the border, largely because of the federal government’s failure to address these issues are only gonna be solved with this kind of partnership” at a dedication ceremony for the center on Monday.
“I am really proud of the role that my administration has helped play in getting us to where we are today. And for those of you who’ve heard me talk about the border issues we’re dealing with here, you know, that I made a commitment to when I got into office that I was not going to politicize the border,” she continued.
Cochise County is along the extremely busy Tucson Sector of the border, which includes the Naco and Douglas Ports of Entry. A second port specifically for commercial purposes is under development in Douglas with an expected federal pricetag of $125-$145 million, The Center Square reported.
The sector notably dealt with roughly 464,000 migrant encounters in fiscal year 2024, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, which placed a strain on law enforcement resources.
