By Dennis Burke, Roy Herrera and Mark Kokanovich | The Arizona Republic
The FBI, Border Patrol, Homeland Security and courts lack vital resources during the government shutdown to handle cases properly.
(Editor’s note:Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.)
The longest federal government shutdown seriously impairs law enforcement and safety in Arizona.
We are concerned for our former law enforcement colleagues, the accused, our state and the country. The danger and risks increase every day.
The shutdown directly impacts criminal cases because neither the prosecutors nor their agency partners, including the FBI, Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations, can spend money on contracted services.
No financial subpoenas, no translators
That means no subpoenas for financial information and no information can be efficiently processed from phone and internet providers.
It means prosecutors can neither contract with a new expert nor make payments to an existing one.
