Stories

Mutual Assistance

Nursery Fire
On June 9, 2009 PISA (POLICIA INTERNACIONAL SONORA-ARIZONA) received a request for assistance, from the Sonora State Investigative Police (PEI) in the form of humanitarian aid to the victims of the Nursery fire that occurred in Hermosillo on June 5, 2009, the last day of the PISA 25th Anniversary conference in Tucson, Arizona.  This tragedy resulted in the deaths of 44 children and left 33 children hospitalized with injuries.

The fire at the Daycare Nursery quickly spread from a fire in an adjacent building and immediately put 140 children at risk. Approximately 475 U.S. and Mexico Law Enforcement officers were in attendance at the PISA conference and several of the Mexico officers left immediately to respond to the emergency.

Responding to their urgent pleas, the PISA committee authorized $5,000 for the purchase of diapers, baby formula, antiseptic wipes, and other baby care items.  On June 10, 2009 PISA members purchased the items and delivered them the following day to the Nogales, Arizona U.S. Port of Entry. 

In Nogales, the items were transferred and received by Sonora State Investigative Police (PEI) and DIF (Sonora State Child Services) Director Mayelli Alessi Cuevas.  Several agencies assisted with the transfer of the donated items to Mexico including DHS, CBP Nogales, the Attorney General of Mexico Regional Legal and Law enforcement attaché--Los Angeles, the Federal Investigative Agency (AFI) and the local Sonora Federal Prosecutor.  From the Nogales POE, the donated items were delivered by DIF to Hermosillo, Sonora where they were distributed to the families of the children affected by the Nursery fire.

Information Exchange
PGR Officials have shown Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Border Liaison officers some of the current methods used by drug smugglers in order to transport their drugs including a way of attaching a second drum to the wheel in order to fill it with contraband. The information was passed on to all other U.S. law enforcement agencies.

Game & Fish Officer Arrested
In December of 1998, a Game and Fish Officer drove his department vehicle with his weapons into Agua Prieta on a Saturday morning and was arrested. Sunday evening the Federal Prosecutor in Agua Prieta called a Border Unit Officer advising that he had something unusual and requested his assistance. The Game and Fish Officer did not let anyone know who he was and after determining that he was a State Official, the Border Unit Officer made telephone calls in order to resolve this matter. The Game and Fish Officer, his vehicle and weapons were released to the Border Unit Officer and returned to the U.S. the same day.

Search for Drowning Victims
Through the years the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team has assisted in the recovery of drowning victims from the Colorado River and irrigation canals in Baja California.