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Tusayan gets own Sheriff's Deputy
Deputy Brandon White to live at Grand Canyon Airport

Coconino County Sheriff's Department Deputy Brandon White now lives and works from Tusayan, Arizona. Loretta Yerian/WGCN

Coconino County Sheriff's Department Deputy Brandon White now lives and works from Tusayan, Arizona. Loretta Yerian/WGCN

TUSAYAN, Ariz. - On Oct. 4 the town of Tusyan welcomed its newest and vitally important member to the community. Grand Canyon Airport and the Coconino County Sheriff's Department finalized the terms of a lease agreement to house a deputy on airport property.

Tusayan is a unique town and it will likely take a unique, ambitious and motivated individual to take on the role of the lone ranger for a small town community.

Deputy Brandon White's supervisors have seen those qualities and more in Tusayan's new resident deputy.

"He showed an interest and he's familiar and he's been a firefighter," said Lieutenant Jim Coffey of Coconino County Sheriff's Department. "One of the closest relationships we have had over the years is with the fire department, our office right now is shared with the fire department. But it's not only the fire department but also the national park and the airport, they're all important to build relationships with and have that communication. There's nothing that beats day to day interaction."

Duty and obligations are a key part of the job, but White knows there's more to the job. White volunteered for the position and after careful consideration, was selected to fill the position. He has been with the Sheriff's Department for two years and has spent most of that time working in and around Tusayan. He is already on a first name basis with members of the town and has spent time patrolling the streets.

"In my eyes he's a young officer," Coffey said, "but he shows a maturity and a sense of making the right decisions. When you're out there in a small place, you have to look at the totality of your decision making process and not just the black and white. You look at the bigger picture, you look at it from 5,000 feet instead of 500 feet and you get a better grasp. He (White) has shown the ability to do that. Plus he's a good communicator, he likes to talk to people."

White said it is the right time in his life and he feels comfortable taking the responsibility.

"I've been here for a couple of years now," White said. "As opposed to putting someone brand new in a single man sub-station, it would definitely be tough."

Having grown up in a suburb of Las Angeles, living in a small community like Tusayan, will be somewhat of a change for White. White does have a background in firefighting and law enforcement that will be helpful in his new position.

"I moved out here in 2011 and loved northern Arizona, so I made the move out of the big city." said White.

White became interested in law enforcement while working first as a resident firefighter and later a part time firefighter in California City. Through the fire department he took classes in arson and formed relationships with other law enforcement agencies. In 2011 he moved to Arizona and after a ride along with the Sheriff's Department, he found his niche in life. He has worked out of Williams and is excited to relocate to Tusayan.

"Tusayan is definitely unique," said White, " I have some concerns about moving into a small town, but at the same time it's right next to the Grand Canyon. Five million people go there each year and I get to be their resident deputy and that's something to be really proud of and excited about."

A Sheriff's Department deputy visits Tusayan almost on a daily basis. However, department officials are excited to have a local deputy to put a face to their presence.

"What (White) is going to do is bring that face to the Sheriff's office in Tusayan," said Coffey. "We've not had that, while we've been there, we now are building those day to day relationships and he'll be the guy that's there."

Coffey said White will be on the streets and able to attend town meetings and other functions as well as attending to his other duties.

"I'm not asking White to do anything he hasn't been doing before," Coffey said. " He's a member of that community now too. I think that's what's important, their issues are his issues. He'll have more time to listen to their concerns."

While White is assigned to Tusayan and that is his primary responsibility, there are times White will serve as back up to officers in Valle and Williams and other areas.

"This will help us with our response time (in Tusayan) and our understandings of whatever the problems are, especially community issues," said Coffey.

White said he is excited to be in the new position and ready for the challenge.

"I've got to do some really great things, in my time here, but this is probably the most exciting and biggest change that I've had." White said, "I am excited. There is going to be challenges. This is going to be the first time I've lived in the community where I work. I'm excited, nervous, and all these things are coming together but it's going to work out really well for the town and me."


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