Arizona Department of Public Safety
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
Bureau
District 16
Operation “Cochise Stronghold 2”
Cochise Stronghold is located to the west of Sunsites, Arizona in the Dragoon Mountains at an
elevation of 5,000 ft. This beautiful woodland area lies in a protective rampart of granite domes and
sheer cliffs which were once the refuge of the great Apache Chief, Cochise, and his people.
INTERSTATE 10 CMV
ENFORCEMENT DETAIL
COCHISE/PIMA COUNTY LINE TO
NEW MEXICO BORDER
FEBRUARY 8-9, 2011
Participating Agencies:
~ Arizona Department of Public Safety
~ Arizona Department of Transportation, Enforcement &
Compliance Division
~ U.S. Department of Transportation
~ Arizona Trucking Association
DPS 801-02890 Rev. 1/2000 Page
November 6, 2011
MISSION STATEMENT:
Reduce commercial motor vehicle collisions by proactive enforcement of State laws &
Federal Motor Carrier Regulations, and detection/interdiction of criminal activity.
OPERATION OVERVIEW:
Operation “Cochise Stronghold 2” will be conducted February 8 & 9, 2011, on Interstate 10
from the Pima/Cochise County line to the New Mexico Border. Operation “Cochise
Stronghold 2” is a State safety crash reduction initiative, highlighting compliance of the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations and State criminal & traffic laws, to include safety
belt enforcement, the move over law, and criminal interdiction. This is a collaborative effort
with the Arizona Department of Transportation, Enforcement & Compliance Division, and
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Alliance (FMCSA). The
operation will involve approximately eighty (80) DPS, AZDOT & USDOT officers, who will
conduct stationary and roving CMV inspections & traffic enforcement, to prevent CMV
accidents, thereby saving lives. These inspections will involve comprehensive (Level I, II, &
III) inspections relating to driver, vehicle, and cargo, to include load securement. Officers
will also be asking drivers about any unusual circumstances involving their commercial
operation relative to Homeland Security issues.
Representatives from the Arizona Trucking Association (ATA), along with DPS officers, as
part of the DART Program (Driver Awareness Regulation Training), will be setting up a
public information booth at the Gas City in Benson, providing drivers educational materials
and answering questions concerning various motor carrier safety issues including seatbelt
usage, move over law, log book, and equipment related issues.
Level I inspections will be conducted at stationary inspections sites. Level II & III
inspections, targeting fatigued commercial vehicle drivers and traffic violations, will be
conducted during traffic enforcement operations.
The secondary focus of this detail is to interdict and/or interrupt the flow of contraband, to
include illicit drugs and the seizure of criminal proceeds to include weapons and currency.
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November 6, 2011
OBJECTIVES:
1. To carefully and thoroughly examine all driver logbooks for hours of service
violations and false entries.
2. To educate drivers regarding safety and seat belt usage and the move over law.
3. Interview drivers regarding their load and destination.
* Observe any unusual circumstances.
* Question drivers regarding load, route of travel, etc.
* Tampering of load.
4. Observe criminal activity.
* Observe unusual hours of service.
* Verify manifest to load.
LOCATION:
ROVING:
I-10 Milepost 296.5, Cochise / Pima County line to I-10 Milepost 391, New Mexico State
line.
STATIONARY:
DPS - San Simon Port of Entry (westbound), I-10 MP 383.
DPS & USDOT - San Simon Rest Area, I-10 MP 388 (eastbound).
DPS & AZDOT - Texas Canyon Rest Area, I-10 MP 318 (eastbound).
TIME
0700-1500 hours: Central & Northern AZ DPS officers, AZ DOT & US DOT
1000-1800 hours: District 16 officers (except Yuma Squad)
1800-0200 hours: District 16 Interdiction Squad
CIRCUMVENTION (Main Line):
DPS Supervisory personnel assigned to the Texas Canyon and San Simon rest areas
(westbound), as well as the San Simon Port of Entry (eastbound), will assigned a “chase”
unit on I-10. The purpose of these “chase” units will be to conduct traffic stops of CMV
driver’s who fail to stop at these checkpoints and take enforcement action. “Chase” officers
should also keep the Command Post as well as supervisory personnel at these respective
locations informed of any traffic situations, such as backed up traffic on I-10, etc.
OUT OF SERVICE LOCATIONS:
REFER TO ATTACHMENT CONCERNING RECOMMENDED OOS LOCATIONS AND
INSPECTION LOCATIONS.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Primary Communications Frequency will be District 9 car-to car. Officers should limit their
radio traffic by utilizing their MDCs. Southern Communications Center has been advised of
this operation and special procedures will be discussed at the briefing. Officers running
radio traffic should be certain to specify direction of travel (eastbound/westbound). Other
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November 6, 2011
agencies will conduct traffic using their respective communications centers. Outside
agency supervisors will contact Sgt. Valencia via cell phone for other communications as
needed.
PRESS
The press has not been contacted but may be in the area. Any specific requests should be
directed to the Command Post. Professional demeanor will be maintained at all times.
HAZ-MAT INCIDENTS:
Any hazardous material issues or incidents need to be reported DPS Dispatch at extension
4609, who will in turn contact Sergeant Kenneth W. Morris #4384, Hazardous Materials
Response Unit, Arizona Highway Patrol @ 602.644.5962 (office) / 602.320.2778 (cell).
INSPECTION LEVELS:
Emphasis will be on Level III inspections with special emphasis on traffic enforcement,
driver violations and criminal interdiction. Officers are required to forward their stat sheets
to their respective supervisors at the end of each shift. Supervisors will forward their
squad’s summarized activity to Sgt. Valencia, cc Captain Ken Hunter, cc Noranne Lenox.
SELECTION CRITERIA
When officers are conducting an inspection, they should select an appropriate inspection
site off the mainline for officer safety purposes (officer/driver traffic incursion). Refer to
attachment for recommended inspection sites and OOS locations. Off-ramps, on-ramps,
parking lots are good examples. Exception: Officers are prohibited from using the
Gas City parking lot in Benson to conduct inspections, although officers may
complete their contacts there for OOS situations.
RELIEF/LUNCH BREAKS:
On Feb. 7th.
Lunch will be served at Kartchner Caverns after the meeting. Lunch will be held from 1100
to 1200 hours.
Feb. 8th & 9th.
Sergeants will coordinate relief/lunch breaks for their respective squads. Please notify the
Command Post @ 520-603-3168.
COMMAND POST:
The Command Post (CVEB District 16 Command Van) will be located at the eastbound rest
area at Texas Canyon, I-10 MP 318. The phone number for the Command Post is 520-
603-3168. Additional officers designated by the Command Post will be available to
respond for technical or investigative assistance as requested. Responsibilities:
Supply handouts/stat sheets/miscellaneous forms (consent, disclaimer, etc.)
Assign interview officers
Monitor Radio traffic
Maintain log of officer assignments
Gather stats
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November 6, 2011
Coordinate K-9 assistance
CVE District 16 Command Van (motor home) will be located at Gas City, SR 90 / I-10
Junction.
ATTACHMENTS:
Assignments/court information/hospital listings/recommend OOS sheet
Map of District 9
Detail Recap Sheet
DETAIL SUPERVISORS:
Capt. Ken Hunter 1600 520-260-8701
Sgt. Rene Valencia 3707 520-603-3168
ADDITIONAL SUPERVISORS PARTICIPATING:
District 16:
Sgt. Eloy Ramirez 1610 520-820-3620
Sgt. Craig Bowles 1620 520-664-6185
Sgt. Bart Massey 1630 602-402-7487
Sgt. Johnny Villaneda 1650 928-210-7228
District 15:
Capt. Deston Coleman 1700 602-568-3448
Sgt. Brian Eekhoff 1510 928-699-5349
Sgt. Jim Stanton 1520 928-241-2904
Sgt. Tom Eaves 1530 928-607-2145
Sgt. Tim Mason 1540 602-540-4384
Sgt. Kenneth Morris HM10 602-320-2778
OTHER AGENCY CONTACTS
FMCSA –
Supervisor Douglas David Ramirez – 520-241-7283
AZDOT – Enforcement & Compliance Division
Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Jennifer Brown, Douglas – 520-364-5011
Lieutenant Julia Johnson, San Simon POE- 520-845-2280
Sergeant Christie Parrish, Sierra Vista – 520-559-5396
SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Chain of Command will be adhered to. Officer concerns will be directed to respective
supervisor, forwarded to respective captain, for referral to Capt. Ken Hunter (as needed).
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November 6, 2011
Rest Area (Stationary)
Establish traffic control officer (rotated hourly) shall wear reflective vest, assure safe
ingress/egress of traffic.
Assign Greeter and stationary marked unit on interstate (“chase unit”).
Schedule breaks (lunch, etc.).
Supply handouts.
Provide interview officers.
Assign parking slots.
CMV placed out of service locations (westbound rest area).
Gather respective Unit stats and forward via email to Sgt. Valencia #3707
(rvalencia@azdps.gov). Hard copies to be left at respective Command Post.
(Roving)
Emphasis on stopping and inspecting all CMVs avoiding checkpoint.
Schedule breaks (lunch, etc.).
Interviews by individual officers.
Gather respective Unit stats and forward via email to Sgt. Valencia #3707
(rvalencia@azdps.gov). Hard copies to be left at respective Command Post.
Runner to/from command post.
Assist with booking at jail (when available).
Assist with out of service locations (when available).
DETAIL ASSIGNMENTS
REFER TO ATTACHMENTS.
__________________________________________
CAPTAIN K. HUNTER
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