The Arizona Sheriffs’ Association is calling for an investigation into the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office response to incidents connected to border wall protests, citing reports of threats and property damage in an open letter released Oct. 10. The association said law enforcement officials told it that county deputies declined requests for help involving alleged violence, threats and property damage. Those claims have not been independently confirmed. The Sheriff’s Office had not responded to a request for comment on the allegations as of the letter’s release. The group also said Sheriff David Hathaway had publicly acknowledged directing deputies not to respond to calls associated with border wall protests, except when violence was involved. It argued that the reported decisions raise questions about the office’s public-safety responsibilities, even when incidents involve federal operations or politically contentious events. The letter followed a federal raid Monday at a protest encampment near border barrier construction in Lochiel. During the operation, federal agents used a cherry picker to remove a protester from a tree. The association also relayed reports that some people at the protests wore masks and came from outside Arizona; those descriptions were included among the claims it said should be documented and investigated. Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said he was prepared to send resources to Santa Cruz County if needed. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post that Sheridan was ready to assist the Arizona Department of Public Safety as public-safety concerns escalated. The association noted that Hathaway is no longer a member, following a vote to end his membership over a separate matter concerning his standing. The group’s letter did not identify that matter as part of the call for an investigation into the county’s response to protest-related calls. The dispute puts the focus on how local and federal authorities coordinate around demonstrations over construction of the border barrier, and on what response residents can expect when they report safety concerns. The association called for the allegations to be documented and appropriately investigated.