Copy of App Submitted 9.3.26.pdf

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Local Border Support
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FY27 Grant Application
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Contact Information
Date
2026-09-03
Agency Name
Buckeye Police Department (BPD)
Agency Address
530 E. Monroe Ave.
Buckeye, Arizona. 85326
Award Letters and Grant Contracts will be addressed to this.
Point of Contact Name
Rob Roach
Point of Contact Title
Grant Program Manager
email
rroach@buckeyeaz.gov
Phone Number
6233496165
Project Summary
Buckeye is the westernmost city of the Phoenix Metropolitan area, located approximately 36 miles west of Phoenix and 116 miles
north of the U.S.-Mexico border in Lukeville. Major roadways run through Buckeye, including the east-west Interstate-10 (I-10)
and the north-south State Route 85 (SR-85). SR-85 connects Mexico to the U.S. and provides a major drug and human trafficking
corridor. The I-10 freeway connects the U.S. east coast to the west coast and acts as a major drug and human trafficking corridor.
Buckeye is a junction of high incidents of drug, weapons, and human trafficking, as well as illegal immigration and other border-
related crimes. Buckeye is the first city encountered if entering from the south on SR-85 or the west on I-10, making Buckeye a
common thoroughfare for approximately 118,100 vehicles per day that travel on SR-85 and the I-10 (2024-AADT). Vehicles
transport border-related criminals who pass through or stop in Buckeye. Buckeye is also the last city encountered if traveling
west along I-10 or south on SR-85, making Buckeye a key location for food and fuel before options become limited. Buckeye, due
to its vast geographical character and low per capita and low per square mile law enforcement presence, provides an opportunity
for criminals to “fly under the radar”. BPD’s sworn officers per 1,000 population is 1.07, compared to a national average of 2.

BPD requires additional human resources and associated equipment and supplies to combat border-related crimes such as
human, drug, and weapons trafficking, etc. Through this grant, BPD will primarily focus on detaining and prosecuting individuals
who are engaging in drug, human, and weapons trafficking, and other border-related criminal activities. To accomplish these
activities, BPD requires a Street Crimes Unit consisting of 4 sworn police officers, 1 sworn police Sergeant, 1 narcotics detection
and suspect apprehension canine, and accompanying equipment and supplies.
Statement of Need
The link between human and drug trafficking and weapons trafficking is substantial, as human and drug trafficking can support
the demand for weapons. Perpetrators use weapons to protect human and drug trafficking operations, as well as maintain
control over victims. These interlinkages between human, drug, and weapons trafficking can intensify, facilitate, and trigger
violence (link weapons and human trafficking and Microsoft Word).
Buckeye experienced an increase in drug-related offenses of 35% and an increase in weapon offenses of 114% between 2022 and
2025, according to the BPD 2025 annual report (BPD 2025 Annual Report). In June 2025, a death involving a teen who smoked
marijuana and later exhibited signs of an opioid overdose led police to an illegal marijuana and firearm sales operation based in
Buckeye, spanning various cities in the West Valley, according to the Maricopa Superior Court. Due to Buckeye’s geographic
location along key trafficking corridors, there is an urgent need for a Street Crimes Unit consisting of 4 police officers, 1 police
Sergeant, and 1 police canine. Funding the requested personnel and associated supplies and equipment will significantly improve
BPD’'s ability to interdict and dismantle border-related criminal operations in the community.
Fatal substances sold within the community contribute to overdose hospitalizations and deaths. Per the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, 80% of fentanyl is trafficked through the southwest border. Additionally, from January to June 2026, approximately
6,200 pounds of fentanyl were seized at U.S. borders, with approximately 5,640 pounds coming from the southwest border (How
much fentanyl is seized at US borders each month?). The requested personnel and accompanying supplies and equipment will
also benefit neighboring agencies during joint jurisdiction operations. Buckeye critically needs funding due to its geographic
location and budgetary constraints.
Objectives
BPD will remove dangerous individuals and border-related crimes from the community, especially for drugs, weapons, and
human trafficking, and other border-related crimes, while ensuring the safety of law enforcement officers and the community
through the deployment of a Street Crimes Unit. This unit will conduct interdiction operations along Buckeye’s arterial roadways
and other hot spots. BPD expects to see a reduction in overdose hospitalizations and deaths through the removal of deadly
drugs, weapons, and perpetrators from the community. Initially, BPD expects to see an increase in successful diversions, arrests,
and convictions, but over time, the objective is to reduce these incidents as more offenders are removed from society via
diversion or incarceration.
BPD is associated with the West Valley Real-Time Crime Unit, which includes Glendale, El Mirage, Peoria, and Avondale. The
requested Street Crimes Unit will benefit Buckeye, as well as neighboring jurisdictions.
Scope of Work
The fight against local border-related crimes such as drug, weapons, and human trafficking requires additional resources. Cartels
and criminal networks continue to exploit Arizona's southern border to conduct human trafficking activities, including trafficking
of minors. The proposed funding for the Street Crimes Unit aligns with international, federal, and local joint law enforcement task
force activities, including increased interdictions.
Through this grant, BPD will primarily focus on detaining and prosecuting individuals who are engaging in drug, human, and
weapons trafficking, and other border-related criminal activities. To accomplish the aforementioned activities, BPD requests
funding to form a Street Crimes Unit composed of 4 new sworn police officers, 1 new sworn Sergeant, 1 new police canine, and
associated supplies and equipment over a 24-month period. Buckeye is prepared to fund equipment funding shortfalls and the
personnel once the grant funding has been exhausted.
BPD previously received grant funding to acquire four new MX-908 mobile fentanyl testing devices from the Arizona Department
of Public Safety (DPS) (3 devices) and the Tohono O'odham Nation (1 device). BPD has also received grant funding from DPS to
fund the purchase of a fentanyl detecting quadruped robot. Should neighboring jurisdictions require these resources, BPD
ensures that these resources will be readily available for utilization. lf awarded, BPD will ensure the awarded resources from this
grant are available for mutual aid.
BPD is requesting DPS funding to aid in the deployment of four sworn police officers, one sworn police Sergeant, and
accompanying supplies and equipment over a 24-month period. A program called “Group Violence Intervention (GVI)" has
recently been implemented by BPD to reduce fentanyl related events in Buckeye. An example of GVI is responding to community
concerns with supportive data analytics to implement a program that addresses an increase in drug-related calls for service.
Statistical analysis helps identify offenders most likely to be involved in drug-related incidents. GVI can also be applied to issues
like human and weapons trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other border-related crimes. Evidence-based and
trauma-informed strategies are used to identify problems and trigger factors to develop best practices. A key component of the
GVI mission is the link between gun violence and the sale of illicit drugs, as well as human trafficking. The link between human
and drug trafficking and weapons trafficking is substantial, as human and drug trafficking can support the demand for weapons.
Perpetrators use weapons to protect human trafficking and drug trafficking operations, as well as maintain control over victims.
These interlinkages between human and drug trafficking and weapons trafficking can intensify, facilitate, and trigger violence
(link weapons and human trafficking and Microsoft Word).
The requested personnel and accompanying equipment and supplies will be used for investigations, interdiction, and

prosecution of border-related crimes such as human, drug, and weapons trafficking. BPD is associated with the West Valley Real-
Time Crime Unit, which includes El Mirage, Glendale, Peoria, and Avondale. BPD will share all resources with neighboring
jurisdictions. The City of Buckeye is committed to all grant award compliance, including financial and performance reporting
requirements.
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