Martin County Sheriff William Snyder is prepared to send his two rapid deployment teams to Texas and Arizona. Snyder agreed after Gov. Ron DeSantis' office called him to assist. The governors in Texas and Arizona asked for additional resources to help patrol the border with Mexico.
Snyder told WPTV's Matt Sczesny on "To the Point" that the decision was simple, noting that when he asks for help from the governor's office, they offer any resources needed.
"I thought about it for a moment," Snyder said. "In my business, you have to make decisions, so I said yes."
The sheriff said that he has no exact details but reiterated his deputies are ready to help. He also doesn't believe Martin County taxpayers will have to foot the bill to send the deputies to the border.
"My suspicion will be that, if the governor asks us to go, he will use emergency powers," Snyder said. "That will open him up to using state resources, so I don't think that the taxpayers in my county will be on the hook for this."
During his news conference, DeSantis cited a recent arrest of an illegal immigrant in the rape of an 82-year-old woman. Snyder said that case wasn't a factor in his decision to help.
"So what people are trying to do is drawing a nexus between our going to Texas or Arizona, if we go, and crime here," Snyder said. "That is not the way I looked at it. I looked at it this way: the governor asked us to assist him and to assist other law enforcement agencies that were in trouble."
DeSantis blamed the administration of President Joe Biden for the troubles.
But when it comes to policy, Snyder said he will leave it to others to decide the best way. He also said he respects the opinion of those who say the deputies shouldn't go to the border.
"I'm into public safety and good government and order, and I'm not seeing that going on at the border," Snyder added. "I don't believe my rapid deployment teams are going to fix the border."
Snyder said he believes all 40 members of the rapid deployment teams would volunteer to go to Texas or Arizona if asked.