A man was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into large quantities of methamphetamine coming into the CRIT Reservation and Town of Parker from drug trafficking organizations in Blythe, CA. On May 14th 2015, the La Paz County Narcotics Task Force arrested Jose Hernandez from Blythe (Ripley), California. Hernandez was allegedly found in possession of approximately 1.3 pounds of …

The roadway is now clear for Sheriff John Drum’s effort to lead a new interagency narcotics task force in La Paz County, after the County Attorney Tony Rogers dissolved the existing task force earlier this week. In a letter written to the La Paz County Board of Supervisors, Parker Town Council and Quartzsite Town Council, Rogers says he found the …

A continuing feud involving law enforcement agencies in La Paz County continues as the Town of Parker responds to Sheriff John Drum over a Narcotics Task Force building and assets In a statement Parker Police Chief Rod Mendoza says was read into the record at Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Town of Parker explains why it shut the Narcotics Task …

La Paz County Sheriff John Drum says he will be filing criminal complaints against the Town of Parker after he says the Parker Police Department shut down the Task Force building and “illegally removed files, computers, guns, buy money and surveillance equipment rendering the unit crippled of any law enforcement activity.” Sheriff Drum says the items were purchased with public …

The La Paz County Sheriff’s Office says Sheriff John Drum and his staff have completed a new intergovernmental agreement (I.G.A.) for the La Paz County Narcotics Task Force that he says will bring a wider array of agencies in to drug enforcement in the area. A Sheriff’s Department press release says Drum is excited about the new agreement, which will …

La Paz County Sheriff John Drum has given Parker Live a response to Quartzsite Police Chief Jeff Gilbert, who issued a rebuttal to the media late last night over Drum’s assertions regarding the narcotics task force. The response is below. ———— I would like to respond to Chief Gilbert’s response to the letter I read to the Board of Supervisors …

The following letter was read into the record at the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on March 18th 2013 by Sheriff John Drum: I am here today to talk with you about the La Paz County Task Force. When La Paz County broke away from Yuma in 1983, we didn’t have a Narcotics Task Force. Our officers handled drug cases as …

La Paz County Attorney Sam Vederman, speaking as Chairman of the La Paz County Anti-Drug and Racketeering Enforcement Task Force Board (CADRE), has issued a public press release in response to a publicly distributed letter written by Chairman Eldred Enas of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT). In the press release, Vederman takes issue with Enas’ handling of the negotiations …

A deputy of the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office has died after taking his own life, according to Sheriff William Ponce. Lieutenant William Poindexter, who served the department for 31 years, died in mid-February. A procession through the town of Parker was held last Wednesday to honor him. Speaking to the La Paz County Board of Supervisors on February 21st, …

UPDATE 3:30pm to add a statement by Sheriff’s Detective Jeremy Johnson (added at bottom below). – Former employees of the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department say management and lack of funding for the department are the reasons they left, coming after after the department’s low salaries were highlighted in a meeting of the Board of Supervisors on June 6th. Sheriff …