By Mark Cowling | Pinal Central (Photo via Town of Florence)
FLORENCE — Mayor Tara Walter defended the town’s latest award as Arizona’s safest city despite qualifying on the strength of a prison population that is unable to call the police.
The town provides services to those who live in its boundaries, including the incarcerated, the mayor said at Monday’s Town Council meeting.
“That means whenever there’s a violent attack — an assault, a rape, something happens — our police respond. Our medical teams respond through the Fire Department. So that’s why they count within our numbers,” Walter said.
“So they have all of those different diverse types of populations living in Florence, Arizona. Some of the most violent offenders are housed there. And they still count towards our numbers.
