Tucson Tragedy: Elected Officials Speak Out About Balancing Accessibility With Safety

Accessibility with constituents may come with the territory of being an elected official, but may also carry a safety risk.

State and local officials told ABC7?s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom they believe the tragedy in Tucson is an extreme, isolated incident but one that may illustrate the unavoidable threat they face.

“I think it’s somewhat of an accepted risk,” State Senator Mary Kay Papen said.

Papen said meeting and greeting with constituents comes with the territory.

“I think of course none of us ever think it’ll ever happen to us,” Papen said.

But Saturday, that evident risk became a horrifying reality for Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head during a public event at a Safeway grocery store in Tucson.

“It was just shocking,? Representative Joni Gutierrez said. ?It was shocking to see that it happened.”

Despite the shooting rampage, Gutierrez said face-to-face contact with constituents is unavoidable and will continue.

“That’s what we have chosen to do, is to listen to our constituents, and I just don’t see us not doing that,” Gutierrez said.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez said criminal behavior has no place in politics, but the terror in Tucson cannot change the relationship elected officials have with the public.

“As elected officials, we have to expect to be accessible to public, whether they voted for us or didn’t vote for us we serve them all,? Martinez said. ?If we start to hide or not be accessible or begin to live in a bubble, then this type of person that committed this kind of criminal act wins, and I refuse to allow anyone like him to ever win.”

Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima shakes hands daily with friendly to testy individuals, but said he is vigilant of his surroundings.

“I think that’s one of the risks, I guess, being in public office,? Miyagishima said. “I feel very safe here. I feel very comfortable here, but recognizing there’s a possibility it could be out there.”

Meeting with the public will never change, but some certainly hope funding for increased security, will, Papen said.

“We will still be out there. We’ll still be meeting and listening,” Papen said.

Six people, including a federal judge were killed and 14 others were wounded in Saturday?s shooting spree.

Rep. Giffords remained in critical but stable condition in a Tucson hospital Monday.