does this mean machine gun toting thugs will be patroling the malls???? Original Article SWAT to patrol malls in Valley By Katie McDevitt, Tribune November 24, 2005 They operate special weapons, negotiate hostage situations and use explosives. They shoot with precision and are one of the most highly-trained units at the sheriffs office. They are the SWAT team. Starting Friday, theyll be patrolling Valley shopping malls. The Maricopa County Sheriffs Office is beefing up its holiday patrol, adding 30 SWAT members to the deputies and volunteer posse members already out around the holiday season. The SWAT team will patrol 11 Valley malls including Scottsdale Fashion Square, Chandler Fashion Center and Arizona Mills. "I send them out on certain specialty operations that I feel are necessary," Sheriff Joe Arpaio said. "I feel the protection of the people at the malls is necessary," he said. Mall officials declined comment or could not be reached for comment. The SWAT team will still be available to mobilize for other situations requiring them and their response time will not be any longer, Arpaio said. The team has been on patrol for months and will add the shopping malls into its normal routes. Ronell Bolden sat on a bench outside Mesas Fiesta Mall on Wednesday. He, like several others questioned about Arpaios mall plans, believed the extra SWAT patrol was good, but perhaps a bit overboard for a quiet mall such as Fiesta. "Its already a good place," Bolden of Mesa said. "Right here, its pretty cool." He visits the mall frequently and said hes never seen trouble there. Another shopper, Tim Yohe of Mesa, agreed. "If something does happen, then, yeah (its good)," Yohe said. "But I dont see anything happening." The sheriff s office has been patrolling malls starting the day after Thanksgiving and continuing through Christmas since 1993 and uses canine units, mounted posse, deputies on motorcycles and bicycles, and posse members on foot to deter and prevent crime. "If we have a SWAT situation at the mall like in Washington, naturally well be mobilized quickly," Arpaio said. In Tacoma, Wash., a 20-year-old man was charged with eight counts of first degree assault, four counts of kidnapping and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm after he used a pair of assault rifles to shoot six people Nov. 20 inside a mall and held four people hostage for about four hours. Two shoppers Wednesday at the Fiesta Mall felt Arpaios move to add SWAT members was reactionary. "He goes to extremes," said Pam Throckmorton of Chandler. "That would make me uncomfortable," said Renee Butcher, also of Chandler. "I wouldnt come here if they had SWAT teams here. . . . Thats an isolated incident (in Washington). Doesnt he have any other place to put them?" Throckmorton added, "Thanks for warning us." Contact Katie McDevitt by email, or phone (480) -898-633 http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1124mallswat.html Sheriff's Office posse will patrol malls during holiday season Lindsey Collom and Brent Whiting The Arizona Republic Nov. 24, 2005 12:00 AM Shoppers will not be alone in flocking to the malls Friday for the start of the holiday rush. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office posse members will start patrolling nearly a dozen Valley shopping meccas. This year, they have help, and some serious firepower. Sheriff's officials announced Wednesday that armed members of the agency's SWAT team also will be present to deter criminal activity. advertisement Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that while there have been no major acts of violence at Valley malls with posse members on guard, "it's prudent to have more firepower out there just in case." He said the extra enforcement is a response to the recent mall shooting in Tacoma, Wash., which injured six people and left one person in critical condition. "I'm not trying to scare anybody," Arpaio said. "There's been a lot of publicity, and I don't say there are copycats out there, but it does alert you to be proactive. I'm just ready to go. "I'll be using a SWAT team to protect the public and make sure people know there's someone out there looking out for them." Arpaio said the safety effort is just part of daily operations for SWAT members, who have been involved in patrol and special assignments since a revamp in 2004. SWAT members are still on-call and will respond to situations as necessary, he said. About 300 posse volunteers will participate in the program launched in 1993. It will last through Dec. 24. Arpaio began the mall posse patrol after a series of carjackings. Since, posse members have used horses, foot patrols, bike patrols, canines, squad cars and motorcycles to patrol mall parking lots. "People really look forward to this," he said. The sheriff will launch the operation at 5 p.m. Friday at Park Central Mall in central Phoenix.