The head of the Arizona Police Department has responded to the Council for American-Islamic Relations' concerns about a planned "anti-jihadi" training scheduled for May.

And his reply is truly bizarre.

In an e-mail forwarded to Phoenix New Times by CAIR communications director Ibrahim Hooper, Levi Bolton, the executive director of the Arizona Police Association, writes:

"The APA respectfully declines to acquiesce to your proposition. However, we would like to explore your accusations during a full, complete sworn deposition here in Arizona. Please voluntarily report to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office at 301 West Jefferson on TBD where law enforcement will conduct a complete and thorough interview."

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As Phoenix New Times reported earlier this week, the Arizona Police Association is planning on holding a three-day training event for officers next month on "Understanding and Investigating the Jihadi Network," led by none other than John Guandolo.

Guandolo has been labeled a "notorious Muslim basher and conspiracy theorist" by the Southern Poverty Law Center. His previous appearances in Arizona have met with criticism from groups including the Anti-Defamation League and the ACLU.

And some of his recent statements — such as claiming that American mosques are "organizing for armed confrontation with law enforcement" — have worried the Council for American-Islamic Relations so much that they sent a letter to the Arizona Police Association asking them to cancel the training.

CAIR feared the sessions could put the local Muslim community at risk. (You can see their full letter at the bottom of this story.)

"What right does this guy have to demand that I go and be interrogated?" Hooper asked, when reached by phone. "Does he have some position with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office?"

Nope. Bolton is a retired police officer who was hired by the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association as a lobbyist after he left the force. He later became the head of the Arizona Police Association, a self-described "association of associations" that lists numerous police unions from around the state as members.

He can often be found down at the state legislature, testifying in favor of legislation like the "Plan a Protest, Lose Your House" bill that was proposed earlier this year.

Amanda Jacinto, communications director for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, confirmed that Bolton is not employed by the MCAO.

"Honestly, I’m not going to comment," she responded when asked if Bolton had the authority to speak on behalf of the department. "We’re not involved in this exchange and I’m not going to jump in."

Hooper, of CAIR, said that Bolton's request that he submit to an interview with law enforcement is a transparent attempt at intimidation.

"I’ve noticed that since Trump's administration began, people’s responses have been like this," he said. "People feel that bigotry and misinformation is okay now. Actually, it's more than okay, it's encouraged."

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Nonetheless, he said, Bolton's reply surprised him. CAIR frequently contacts law enforcement agencies and associations around the country that have invited Guandolo to speak.

"Usually they either go two ways — they either ignore you completely, or they drop the guy," he said.

Being told that the group plans to hold the training despite CAIR's objections — then asked to to "voluntarily report" for a sworn deposition — is unusual. (Bolton has not responded to messages from New Times requesting comment on the planned training, or his response to CAIR.)