PHOENIX — State troopers confiscated about 50 handguns and 80,000 rounds of ammunition stored in the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s basement shortly after Director Tim Jeffries — who had expanded the agency’s armed police force — was forced to resign and escorted from the building, the interim director told The Arizona Republic.
Department of Public Safety officers obtained the firearms around noon the day before Thanksgiving, within an hour after Jeffries met with officials from Gov. Doug Ducey’s Office and was escorted from DES headquarters near the Capitol. The weapons were in a locked room.
Troopers then followed Jeffries to his Scottsdale home, where they confiscated a handgun he had purchased with public funds, according to Interim DES Director Henry Darwin.
Darwin on Wednesday told The Republic that the Governor’s Office became aware of the cache of weapons around the time Jeffries was being terminated with five other DES employees closely tied to the ex-director. The Department of Public Safety will assume control of the DES police force, which had 44 members at the end of November.
Jeffries: Cache needed
for protection
Jeffries, contacted by phone, said he was unaware of the specific number of guns and ammunition at the department, but he said it was not surprising considering the agency was looking to add more officers.
He said the department needed to provide protection to its employees and Arizonans served by the agency, especially after a terrorist attack last year on a San Bernardino, California, social services center in which 14 people were killed.
“These jihadists in San Bernardino attacked a social service center for the developmentally disabled. They will go anywhere,” Jeffries said. “As a director, one of my highest priorities was to protect my people and my clients. I stand by that with pride.”
Jeffries added he carried a handgun because of death threats.
“So, leveraging my Second Amendment right to make sure my family was protected was prudent,” Jeffries said.
Darwin said DPS officers were called to assist with the firings because DES knew at least two of those DES employees regularly carried a firearm and wanted security on hand. State police then discovered that four top managers to be terminated — Jeffries, Chief of Staff Clark Collier (a former police officer), Inspector General Juan Arcellana and Security Operations Administrator Charles Loftus — all had state-purchased handguns.
All of their weapons were confiscated without incident, Darwin said.
“If you know someone has a weapon and you give them bad news, you want DPS there,” Darwin said.
Darwin did not know how much was spent on the ammunition or weapons. He said no decision has been made as to whether a criminal investigation will occur.
Darwin also added that he has rescinded a no-bid consulting contract Jeffries awarded to a friend, and state human-resource officials are actively reviewing whether some DES workers fired under Jeffries should be rehired.
Ducey appointed Jeffries last year but forced him to resign after a series of reports in The Republic about hundreds of employees who were fired after being persuaded to relinquish their state job protections, and about a party where Jeffries bought alcohol for employees that some said occurred during work hours.
Security at DES
After taking office, Jeffries put armed guards in the DES lobby and outside its parking garage as well as field offices for security purposes. Jeffries said that before he took office, the agency used contract security officers in its field offices.
The agency put some of those officers in special light-brown uniforms with pants that resemble military fatigues. The phrase Ditat Deus, Arizona’s motto that means “God enriches,” is on one shirt sleeve. The uniforms also had a yellow smiley face, a symbol Jeffries had incorporated and used for employee T-shirts and other promotional DES items, on the back between the shoulder blades.
Of the 44 officers, 13 have Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board certification, according to DES spokeswoman Tasya Peterson. Another 28 armed security officers, who also carry pistols, were not certified officers but were licensed through DPS and passed personnel background checks, she said. The agency also had three retired police officers who carry guns.
Darwin said the 50 or so seized handguns were Glocks and Berettas, and the 80,000 rounds of ammunition were for various caliber of weapons.
Darwin said the weapons were going to be used to arm 15 additional officers at DES. Darwin said he has rescinded the job offers.
