Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic rifle to every deputy working in the county, and once issued the AR-15 will remain with the deputy as long as they work for the Sheriff’s Office.

As of a week ago, two Fountain Hills deputies had been issued the weapons, one of those to the school resource officer.

There are people wondering why this kind of firepower is needed in a community like Fountain Hills, and whether citizens are indeed safer with deputies carrying the rifles.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio needs no convincing.

He recalls that in January 2012 veteran Deputy Bill Coleman was gunned down with an AR-15 in a shopping center in Anthem, an otherwise quiet suburban community.

“I just want my deputies to be able to fight back,” Arpaio said. “This is a dangerous job, you never know what’s going to happen when you are out there.”

Arpaio’s office acquired 400 of the semi-automatic rifles using RICO funds. This is money confiscated through racketeering arrests in cases related to drugs, gangs and smuggling.

The money can be used to purchase such equipment and saves the General Fund taxpayer dollars, according to Arpaio.

Deputy Jason Porter received one of the first two AR-15s issued in Fountain Hills. He completed the additional eight hours of specialized training in using the weapon that all deputies will receive.

There is also an annual refresher.

Deputies further receive training in using the semi-automatic rifles in the law enforcement academy.

Porter said they are good, state-of-the-art weapons and safer than older rifles, because the deputies always know exactly where the bullet is going when they pull the trigger.

The guns are equipped with a device that places a red-dot on the target within the sight. It is not the same as laser sighting, which would place the dot actually on the target.

According to Porter, deputies are being trained a few at a time in each district to spread the weapons around the county until everyone has been issued one.

It is not known whether Coleman would have approached his assailant’s vehicle with an AR-15 had he had one in early 2012, and if he had might it have saved his life.

It does not seem likely he would have. Nor are people stopped for a traffic violation likely to be approached by a deputy with an AR-15 slung over his or her shoulder.

But Arpaio wants to even the odds against the criminals with similar weapons.

“I want my deputies equipped and well-armed when they are on patrol,” he said.

Arpaio has also issued an order that all deputies will carry their side arms 24-hours a day, on duty or off.

“I expect them to take action anywhere they see something that warrants it,” Arpaio said.