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This week the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office sent out a press release about a staff assault and “up spike” in incidents at the Sycamore Canyon Academy. The Sheriff made an attempt to tie the assault and incidents at the academy to the unaccompanied minors from Central America that began arriving there in July. The press release said that the juvenile that assaulted the staff member was from Colombia, leaving out the part about the kid being an American citizen. Carl Shipman, Director of Programs also has stated that there have been no incidents at the academy involving the unaccompanied minors.
In a statement released to the media on Nov. 12, Shipman said:
“Sycamore Canyon Academy wishes to clarify an apparent misunderstanding regarding information provided by the Nov. 11, 2014 Pinal County Sheriff’s Office News Release and media statements.
“Sycamore Canyon Academy is both a licensed Group Home and Shelter. Youth who are placed in the Sycamore programs are not ‘detained’ nor are they referred to as ‘inmates.’ There have been no incidents involving unaccompanied minors since the recent opening of the shelter program at Sycamore Canyon Academy.”
The timing of the Sheriff’s press release seemed odd to me. The staff assault was over a month old (Oct. 8) which made me wonder if the Sheriff did not have a hidden agenda with this announcement. While researching the internet looking for news about the press release information I came across a couple of articles which talked about the incidents and the new Oracle Neighborhood Watch group with comments by its chief organizer Ron Thompson. It probably wasn’t a coincidence. Sheriff Babeu wants Oracle to be a pilot program for a new phone App security system tied in with the Neighborhood Watch. The App is known as Ice BlackBox. It is available to the public now and you do not have to be a member of a neighborhood watch. It is an interesting system but has some potential for misuse.
Ron Thompson was one of the organizers of the protest of the unaccompanied Central American minors that Babeu announced were coming by bus to the Sycamore Canyon Academy back on July 15. Oracle and the protesters made the national news.
In the articles Thompson says that he decided to form a watch group that would keep an eye on activities at the Sycamore Canyon facility. He even talked about setting up “Operation Silent Vigil” which would involve an observation point tower where the watch group could observe the Academy 24/7. Thompson also talked about a staff member at the Sycamore Academy telling him there were two members of the gang MS-13 at the school. Nothing like stirring up a little fear and loathing to help increase membership in the local Neighborhood Watch.
I have nothing against a responsible neighborhood watch group but does Oracle really have that bad of a crime problem and do we need a watch group that is led by individuals with a political? Does Oracle need to be a divided community? How will this impact people and businesses wanting to move to the area? Do we want to be known as a community of compassion and caring or one that promotes fear and hate?
Author’s Note:
I have been given the opportunity to express my opinion and viewpoints on politics, national, state, and local issues as well as life in general. I hope to inform you as well as entertain you, make you smile or make you mad. I will use humor, sarcasm and occasionally anger to express my views. My intention is to hold politicians accountable sometimes bringing some heat on them and if my views make you angry or hot, remember that like my humor, it is a dry heat. These opinions are entirely my own and do not reflect the views of Copper Area News Publishers.
Editor’s Note:
Mr. Hernandez is a columnist and a reporter. We believe he is bringing more lively editorial content to the San Manuel Miner. In agreement or agains, readers are encouraged to respond digitally (Facebook or website) or via letter to the editor. Readers have always had the option to submit Letters to the Editor. We always welcome more viewpoints in the paper.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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