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Support Operations Division
Special Operations Section
Search & Rescue Unit
The mission of the Pima County Sheriff's Department's Search and Rescue (SAR) Unit is to aid persons who are lost, injured, or stranded, and to conduct body recoveries in rugged terrain and remote areas. The SAR Unit consists of a sergeant and five deputies. All members are assigned to the Parks Enforcement Unit of the Special Operations Section. As members of this unit, search and rescue is only one of their many responsibilities.
Swift water rescue training
Rope rescue training

Search and Rescue deputies are trained to manage search or rescue operations to ensure the effective and efficient use of all available resources. Deputies also receive extensive training in first aid, rope rescue, and other technical areas. SAR deputies work with a number of other agencies and volunteer groups. These dedicated search and rescue volunteers provide hundreds of hours of assistance, anytime day or night, and bring with them invaluable skills and equipment to assist the Search and Rescue Unit in carrying out their missions.

Search & Rescue training on ATVs
Search and Rescue rock climbing training
Statistics
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Total Missions
134
114
122
84
100
155
207
199
Search Operations
75
70
63
33
47
82
127
107
Rescue Operations
59
44
59
51
53
61
67
74
Helicopter Operations
45
83
55
33
44
62
81
106
Body Recoveries
7
6
18
5
6
12
12
18
Total Mission Hours
613
567
559
387
728
628
1,007
926
Pima County Sheriff's Volunteer Posse

Pima County Sheriff's Volunteer Posse marching in a parade

The Pima County Sheriff's Posse is an all volunteer mounted unit which was founded in 1946. The Posse represents the Sheriff's Department in parades and other community functions in Pima County and through-out the State of Arizona.

The Sheriff's Posse plays a vital role in many search and rescue operations, as well as mounted observation in County Parks. Members wishing to take part in those operations receive extensive training. The Sheriff's Posse is a component member of the Search and Rescue Council and is on-call seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, including holidays.

The Posse's contributions to the community go far beyond assisting the Sheriff's Department with search and rescue operations. They hold monthly fundraisers, geared towards families, giving adults and children the opportunity to participate in horseback riding events and games. And, they contribute their time and sevices to many community projects and trail riding events to help raise funds for a variety of charities.

Volunteer Resources
The Pima County Sheriff's Department utilizes the services of various volunteer organizations to assist in search and rescue operations. The resources and assistance these agencies provide is essential to the mission of the Search and Rescue Unit. Listed below are just a few of the agencies who work with the Pima County Sheriff's Department's Search and Rescue Unit:

Search & Rescue Council, Inc.
Southern Arizona Rescue Association
Southwest Rescue Dogs, Inc.

 
Last Updated 06/25/2008 2:04 PM