Riders of Justice: State Rangers Revived to Tame Arizona’s Bootleggers

March 3, 1917, Benson, Arizona – In a bid to crack down on the scourge of bootlegging, the Arizona state legislature is considering a bold move: reviving the legendary State Rangers. For six years, these lawmen rode the range, taking down notorious outlaws and bringing justice to the Wild West. Between 1911 and 1916, the Arizona Rangers made an impressive 4,000 arrests, dismantling gangs that had brazenly operated in the state. ‘If they again take the saddle and take up the trails of the bootleggers,’ declared a Tucson Star article, ‘there will be a wholesale cleaning of bootleggers.’

The reorganization of the State Rangers would mirror the original plan, with a captain, lieutenant, four sergeants, and twenty privates. Each ranger would be required to provide their own horse, rifle, six-shooter, pack animal, and camp equipment. The personnel would be comprised of men with the grit and determination to take on the toughest outlaws.

Two bills currently under consideration in the legislature aim to further combat bootlegging. One proposes to increase the penalty for bootlegging from a misdemeanor to a felony, sending a strong message to those who would violate the law. The other, the revival of the State Rangers, represents a more proactive approach to law enforcement.

With the State Rangers back in the saddle, Arizona’s outlaws would do well to take note. The Wild West may be tamed, but the justice it once knew is making a comeback. As one observer noted, ‘If they again take the saddle and take up the trails of the bootleggers, there will be a wholesale cleaning of bootleggers.’