Taxpayers on Hook for First Lady’s Visit
8th May 2012
Taxpayers footed the bill for a Tucson Police Department security detail assigned to protect first lady Michelle Obama during her political fundraising stop here on Monday.
Tucson police Sgt. Maria Hawke said the department is still calculating how much was spent on the 39 officers, including 14 who were paid overtime, in response to an Arizona Daily Star inquiry. But she said TPD does not anticipate being reimbursed by the Obama campaign or anybody else.
A helicopter, one patrol car, 14 motorcycles and one bomb-trained dog were also used during Michelle Obama’s 2 1/2 hours in the Old Pueblo, Hawke said.
Michelle Obama was in town to raise money for her husband’s reelection campaign.