Katie Hobbs' campaign security guard now heads Governor's Office of Highway Safety

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has quietly named a former police officer who worked as her private security guard on the campaign trail last year to a six-figure job leading a small state agency.

J.M. "Jesse" Torrez started on July 3 and is paid $115,000 a year as director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, Hobbs' spokesperson Christian Slater confirmed Monday.

The office has a small team of state employees that make sure federal grants are distributed to law enforcement agencies around the state, funding efforts like impaired driving patrols and other projects that aim to keep Arizona streets safe and reduce crashes.

The governor made no public announcement about Torrez's hire, though she has put out news releases when hiring leaders of other offices under her oversight, such as the Office on Tribal Relations; the Office of Youth, Faith and Family; and the state budget office.

"Director Torrez is a life-long Arizona resident with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement and public safety," Slater said in a statement. "His extensive background makes him well qualified to run the Office of Highway Safety.

"Governor Hobbs entrusted her security to Director Torrez while facing threats on her life and is confident he has the experience and leadership necessary to provide Arizonans with that same level of safety on the highway."

Torrez worked for the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Scottsdale Police Department for about 10 years until the mid-1990s. He was fired from the Scottsdale force after standing up to fellow officers and racist policing practices and ultimately won a $100,000 judgment in a lawsuit against the city that was covered by local media, including The Arizona Republic, at the time.

Since then, Torrez has run a private security and investigations company called Torrez & Associates based in Tempe, according to business records on file with the Arizona Corporation Commission and his resume provided by the Governor's Office.

On the campaign trail last year, he shadowed Hobbs at events and at public appearances across the state. He was paid with private funds, the campaign has previously said, that were not reported on Hobbs' campaign finance filings.

Torrez referred comment for this story to the Governor's Office.

More: Governor, schools chief clash over millions in unspent federal aid for private schools

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety has about a dozen employees and a budget of more than $15 million, according to state records, making it one of the state's smallest agencies. The director of the office is a member of the governor's cabinet but does not require Senate confirmation, according to state and Legislative records.

The Office of Highway Safety and its staff are predominantly federally funded and ensure grants are distributed and monitored to ensure compliance with rules and performance requirements.

In recent years, those grants have helped the Department of Public Safety pay overtime to troopers on DUI enforcement, as well as fund special details targeting distracted driving, seatbelt violators and reducing crashes. For example, San Luis, on the state's southwestern border, received a grant to fund patrols targeting DUI drivers and unsafe drivers to reduce crashes.

Alberto Gutier was the longtime director of the office under Gov. Doug Ducey and several Republican governors before him.

Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ariz. Gov. Katie Hobbs' campaign security guard now heads state agency