Mohave Sheriff to use federal grant to patrol polygamist town

By Steven Leslie CBS 5 KPHO - Phoenix, Arizona

PHOENIX (CBS5) - The Attorney General's Office will pay $420,000 to the Mohave County Sheriff to increase patrols of Colorado City, Attorney General Tom Horn said. The money will be used for overtime pay, enabling the sheriff's office to patrol the city 24 hours a day, Horn said. The money will come from asset forfeiture funds acquired through criminal drug prosecutions. The federal government has approved the grant, which will take effect when it is accepted by the Mohave County Board of Supervisors on July 2. "This action is necessary because of evidence that local police placed their allegiance to Warren Jeffs over their duty to enforce the law objectively, regardless of people's religion," Horn said. "A vote to replace local police with the sheriff's office narrowly failed this year, and this grant will serve as a bridge until next year, when hopefully the legislation will pass." Jeffs is the leader of the FLDS Church, a polygamous sect, and is in a Texas prison. Earlier this year, the House Committee on Government heard testimony that seven members of the Colorado City law enforcement were loyal to Jeffs rather than the law. "This funding will allow us to increase our patrol presence in Colorado City and provide unbiased law enforcement services that the citizens do not have with the Town Marshall's Office," Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan said.

KPHO.com Originally published June 7, 2012

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