“‘The people are screaming for this’: Yavapai Sheriff scores $557,370 to crack down on ‘OHV chaos’ — here’s what’s next…”

In a move locals have loudly demanded for years, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) just secured a significant boost — a whopping $557,370 state grant — to tackle what officials call a growing off-highway vehicle (OHV) enforcement headache in Arizona’s rural heartlands.

The grant, greenlit by the Arizona State Park Board OHV Law Enforcement Assistance Program, forms the lion’s share of a $796,570 funding package unanimously approved by the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors during a meeting on June 4.

“The people are screaming for this, and it’s getting tore up out there,” said District 4 Supervisor Chris Kuknyo, capturing the frustration of residents who’ve watched rented OHVs tear through fragile trails from Prescott to Sedona.

According to Chief Deputy Jeff Newnum, the funds will pay for a full-time OHV enforcement deputy, a fully-equipped side-by-side UTV, 12 trail cameras, and educational outreach — all aimed at curbing reckless riding and protecting public lands.

The urgency is clear: Sedona’s iconic red rocks and the Coconino National Forest have suffered notable damage, with a 2023 analysis showing OHV impacts across nearly 79 acres — a fraction in percentage terms, but enough to ignite local anger and heated debates about accountability for rental operators and riders alike.

The new deputy will bolster the YCSO Forest Patrol Squad, a highly specialized unit skilled in rope rescues, swift water and helicopter operations, and wilderness search missions. This extra badge on the trail is part of Sheriff David Rhodes’ broader vision to match Arizona’s OHV boom with boots on the ground.

“This is the culmination of about three years of work,” Rhodes told the board in April. He noted that the pandemic saw Arizona’s licensed OHVs soar from 100,000 to 250,000, straining local resources and sparking calls for legislative help.

For now, the grant will cover two years, but Rhodes says the Arizona State Parks Board has pledged to keep funding counties for OHV enforcement “in perpetuity” — though exact budget lines are still being hashed out at the Capitol.

District 3 Supervisor Nikki Check applauded the step forward but warned it’s only part of the fix. “It’s not the end-all, be-all… but it’s a great start,” she said, pushing for lasting solutions that don’t rely solely on state handouts.

As summer riders rev up engines and rental companies send tourists deep into the backcountry, the sheriff’s new OHV deputy, trail cameras, and even a recently acquired helicopter stand ready to patrol Arizona’s rugged trails.

Whether this crackdown can truly balance recreation with preservation — and hold reckless riders accountable — remains to be seen. But for many in Yavapai County, help can’t come soon enough.