KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2024 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Penzone Announces Leadership Team

(Photo by Jimmy Jenkins - KJZZ)
Sheriff-elect Paul Penzone announces his leadership team

Sheriff-elect Paul Penzone announced his leadership team in advance of taking over the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Penzone says the focus will be to improve the department’s relationship with the community.

Penzone announced eight new top officials for his administration, none of which are from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Several, like Penzone, are from the Phoenix Police Department.

The incoming sheriff said his No. 1 priority was reaching out to the county as a whole, but he stressed the importance of building relationships with young men and women.

"Those in their teens into their early twenties who are most involved or affected, impacted by crime both as victims as well as involved in cases as suspects — that relationship is our future,” Penzone said.

Penzone also created a new position, chief of staff, whose main role will be to implement the federal mandate of complying with a long list of court orders to prevent biased policing.

“I’m not going to ignore the deficiencies," Penzone said. "If there weren’t deficiencies, there wouldn’t be monitors in the Sheriff’s Office.”

Penzone pledged to work with those monitors, the Department of Justice, the ACLU and with County Attorney Bill Montgomery to restore the department to good standing with the federal government and citizens of Maricopa County.

Penzone leadership team

Chief Deputy - Ben Henry
Chief of Staff - Stephanie Fleischman Cherny
Assistant Chief - Matt Giordano
Director of Public Information - Mark Casey
Captain, Community Affairs - Ken Mentzer
Director, Community Relations and Outreach - James J.C. Collins
Community Outreach Officer - Ron Gomez
Director Drug Education, Prevention and Initiatives - Shannon Scheel

 

Jimmy Jenkins was a producer and senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2014 to 2021.