The Arizona Department of Public Safety became operational by the executive order of Governor Jack Williams on July 1, 1969. Governor Williams’ mandate consolidated the functions and responsibilities of the Arizona Highway Patrol, the Enforcement Division of the State Department of Liquor Licenses and Control and the Narcotics Division of the State Department of Law.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety enforces state law with primary responsibility in the areas of motor vehicle traffic, narcotics, organized crime/racketeering, and specific regulatory functions. Operational and technical assistance is provided to local and state government agencies and other components of the criminal justice community. Services include scientific analysis, aircraft support, emergency first care, criminal information systems, and statewide communications. The Department also promotes and enhances the quality of public safety through cooperative enforcement operations and by increasing public awareness of criminal activities.

Community protection and preparedness is a critical step toward mitigating immediate fire hazards and restoring adjacent wildlands. A combination of fuel management, FireWise standards, and appropriate wildfire suppression response across ownerships within and adjacent to at-risk communities will reduce threats to life and property, protect values-at-risk, and create a safe context for the use of fire in subsequent forest ecosystem restoration efforts. This plan outlines actions needed to prepare and equip the community to live and thrive within our fire-adapted ponderosa pine forests.

Beginning with the 1988 Doney Park Area Plan as a foundation, the Area Plan Committee took an in-depth look at how needs had changed in the ten years since that original Plan was written. After countless hours of discussion and debate, a formal survey of every resident in the planning area, and many public open houses, the Committee created a draft version of this plan, which was submitted to the public for comment. The final version was approved by the County Planning and Zoning Commission in May 2001, and by the County Board of Supervisors in June of that year. While this Plan does not replace the County Comprehensive Plan or Zoning Ordinance, it does provide additional information for decision-makers when faced with issues of growth and development in the Doney Park Timberline-Fernwood areas. Most especially what this Plan does is to represent what residents want to see for their area of the County.