By Jon Johnson
GREENLEE COUNTY — In an unprecedented display of statewide law enforcement collaboration, over a dozen federal, state, and local agencies converged on Greenlee County over the weekend for “Operation Buggie Whip”—a massive target-enforcement effort aimed at maintaining public safety and enforcing off-highway vehicle (OHV) laws in the Lower Eagle Creek area.
The joint effort brought together personnel and assets from the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office, La Paz County Sheriff’s Office, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Graham County Sheriff’s Office, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Benson Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS), Arizona Gang Task Force (GIITEM), Arizona Game & Fish Department, and the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement.
Initial intelligence had indicated that a massive weekend influx of side-by-sides—with estimates ranging anywhere to as many as 500 rigs—was slated to gather in the area. However, proactive social media notices posted by Greenlee County Sheriff Eric Ellison warning of a strict law enforcement presence successfully deterred the vast majority of out-of-town groups from making the trip.
“Law enforcement officers coming from all over the state,” Sheriff Ellison said early Saturday afternoon during the staging phase. “We were represented by seven counties and several law enforcement agencies such as Arizona DPS, GIITEM, and Benson PD. We had a big turnout of law enforcement. And what is unique about Operation Buggie Whip is this: the first that we have ever done in the state, which is anything remotely like this. But it was good practice for the state to be able to collaborate and come together and work together, and be able to do it on such short notice.”
Sheriff Ellison emphasized that the advance warnings were key to keeping the peace before crowds could swell.
“We were able to be ready for a large group of side-by-sides that were supposed to be coming in. We had intel that there might have been about four hundred, three hundred of them, but were ready for a large amount of side-by-sides,” Ellison noted. “We posted it early, telling them that we were going to be out here, and we were going to enforce the law. They didn’t show up. What it did do was make our citizens safe, our community safe.”
Visiting agencies brought heavy resources to assist local deputies in patrolling the rugged terrain. La Paz County Sheriff William Ponce brought six deputies along with specialized equipment to back the operation.
“I’m here to help out Sheriff Eric Ellison in Greenlee County because we have a large amount of OHV traffic coming in this weekend,” Sheriff Ponce noted. “Our presence is going to be a huge factor to reduce any kind of criminal activity occurring.”
During the day, Sheriff Ellison reported that encounters with recreationists in Lower Eagle Creek were overwhelmingly positive and comprised mostly of locals.
“We did encounter several groups which were in the Lower Eagle Creek, and it was a pleasant encounter with them,” Ellison shared. “At one point we stopped, and they actually fed us. It was a good community action between law enforcement and our citizens. It was a great time. The other group we encountered, they were very friendly and courteous to us. And both those groups were mostly local people in our county.”
Beyond law enforcement, Sheriff Ellison highlighted the critical role monsoon weather patterns and environmental safety played in planning the operation.
“Moving forward, we always will continue to prepare for the worst,” Sheriff Ellison explained, pointing to building storm clouds over the mountains. “If you don’t prepare, you are never going to be ready for a catastrophe. Right now, in the background you see the large clouds, and right now it’s monsoon season. If we weren’t going to prepare for the worst, and we had these people in the creeks and especially if it was a large group, we could have had a catastrophe such as a flash flood, washing people down with side-by-sides. That is the worst-case scenario, but we wanted to be ready for those circumstances.”
Ellison also expressed deep gratitude to external agencies and local corporate partners who helped make the operation logistically possible.
“We’re very grateful for all the help and collaboration from all the communities and the law enforcement agencies that partook in this,” Ellison said. “And also Freeport-McMoRan. Freeport helped us with signage and road closures for command areas that we were going to stage in—those things were crucial for our operation. We really think that Operation Buggy Whip was positive for the community and for the state.”
Looking to the future, Ellison envisioned the multi-agency operation serving as a blueprint for rapid response across Arizona: “Moving forward, we’re going to continue to collaborate with other state agencies. Maybe it’s not just Greenlee County, but if there is something in La Paz County or Coconino County or Yuma, we can all gather and collaborate our forces and move to those areas to help in areas that are in need.”
Late-night altercation triggers pursuits and trespasses
By 6 p.m., as rain began falling across the region, visiting agencies were cleared to head home. Shortly after, however, a severe altercation broke out near the entry area tunnels leading to Lower Eagle Creek, forcing Greenlee County deputies back out into the field.
Sheriff Ellison reported that an intoxicated group drew a gun on a passing motorist and threatened to shoot them, prompting an immediate emergency response.
“They were hanging out in the tunnels because it was raining and they pulled a gun on somebody driving by and threatened to shoot him. They called it in,” Sheriff Ellison explained. “We took off, chased them up, stopped them… and two of them turned around, and they took off. So my guy’s getting in a pursuit—actually it was myself and Hector—we ended up catching one. One got away; they’re still out there looking for him right now.”
Upon returning to interview the rest of the group, deputies discovered extensive alcohol consumption and multiple vehicle violations.
“Arrested him, came back down to interview the other people in the group and lo and behold, I think we get one DUI and three impounds out there—no valid license and no registration period, that kind of stuff,” Ellison reported. “Almost everybody in that group is intoxicated.”
The late-night escalation significantly shifted the operation’s final tally:
- 36 total individuals officially trespassed from returning to the property.
- Approximately 14 total arrests made throughout the day across agencies, including 9 arrests made by AZDPS.
- Two vehicle pursuits and multiple vehicle impounds.
- Multiple DUI and alcohol-related citations issued.
Ellison noted that several individuals involved in the late-night incident operating vehicles were foreign nationals from Mexico.
“It seemed so innocent at first, kind of… that’s what happens with alcohol,” Sheriff Ellison reflected late Saturday night after clearing the scene. “Oh, it got wild at the end there… So there was drama. I thought it was going to be a feel-good story, but then it had a lot of drama at the end… Man, we did our job.”
