PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation announced Thursday it was partnering with law enforcement to enhance security at the state's ports of entry.
ADOT said it will assign 89 sworn officers and 49 non-sworn personnel to work full-time in the Arizona Department of Public Safety's commercial vehicle enforcement task force.
The DPS unit is known to inspect more than 42,000 commercial vehicles each year, as well as hundreds of school buses and tow trucks.
The ADOT staff will be helping DPS to ensure commercial vehicles entering across state lines are complying with Arizona's regulations. Sworn ADOT staff are uniformed officers who work under guidelines set by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
ADOT Director John Halikowski said the new partnership, which begins on Jan. 8, will help the inspection unit operate more efficiently.
“Streamlining ADOT’s Enforcement Services Bureau with a single management structure is a better use of personnel, uses financial resources more wisely and strengthens public safety for everyone who travels Arizona’s roads,” Halikowski said.
DPS Director Heston Silbert said the presence of ADOT officers will improve the safety at ports that see a high amount of traffic.
“This will enhance border security at our ports of entry and provide consistent commercial vehicle enforcement to enhance the movement of intra and interstate commerce,” he said.
The partnership is set to expire after two years and will be subject to renewal.
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