Racial profiling, corrupt internal affairs and contemptuous former bosses put the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office under a court-appointed monitor.
But the cost to taxpayers — projected to hit $350 million next year — dominated a meeting Wednesday night on the agency’s progress.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is monitored by Robert Warshaw. He said reforms ordered by a federal judge are not complete.
“This agency has made a lot of progress. A lot of progress. We’ll get to the money in a second,” Warshaw said. “Is this thing going to go on forever? No, no, no.”
Warshaw told the crowd that an independent firm recently did a traffic-stop study of the Sheriff’s Office and found bias. There are 360 requirements for the agency related to traffic stops and internal affairs. Oversight will end after the Sheriff’s Office complies.
But anger over a decade-plus of hemorrhaging money was why most people were there. Like Tom Berry from Sun City.
“Mr. Warshaw, advise Judge Snow to tear up that court order,” Berry said.
The meeting was packed. Many of those who lined up to speak did not get a chance before closure of the community center ended the event.
With the last word, Ricardo Reyes of Phoenix, said blame for the cost of oversight is misplaced.
“That is not the monitor’s fault. That is not the judge’s fault. That is Joe Arpaio’s fault. And Sheridan was there. His hands are not clean,” Reyes said.
Current Sheriff Jerry Sheridan was Arpaio’s chief deputy. Both were found in contempt in the case in 2016.
Sheridan introduced three members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors who attended the meeting. Debbie Lesko got the biggest applause.
“I ask the judge, the federal monitor (and) all the stakeholders to please end this madness,” Lesko said.
Board Chairman Thomas Galvin promised to attend the meetings going forward and said he will complain about the cost of federal oversight.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson was one of many people who waited in line to speak, but did not get a chance.
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