- Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio is under federal investigation for possible constitutional violations and discrimination. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is looking into whether his office is engaging in “patterns or practices of discriminatory police practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures.” Arpaio bills himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” though he may be the country’s most expensive sheriff. The people of the county will now have to pay from additional legal costs as Arpaio again defends himself against allegations of abuse. In the meantime, a recent report indicates that Arpaio is too busy to serve felony warrants in his county.
Arpaio has long been criticized for pandering for media attention, often using inmates as props and backdrops for his self-marketing. Most recently, Arpaio was able to secure his own reality show with Fox called “Smile: You’re Under Arrest.”
Strangely, in Fox’s story on Arpaio being the target of federal investigation, it does not mention the show.
Arpaio portrays himself as a tough guy sheriff by implementing juvenile measures like making jail inmates eat green bologna sandwiches and wear pink underwear. Most recently, he has been chasing illegal immigrants. The problem is that there are about 59,000 outstanding, unserved felony warrants in the state. and the majority are in Maricopa County. So, America’s Toughest Sheriff has proven a felon’s best friend. While courting television producers and media in his crackdown on illegal immigrants, tens of thousands of felons are roaming the county because serving warrants appears a bit too mundane for Hollywood Joe Arpaio.
For the full story, click here.
This is one slimy cop that needs to be on the inside looking out. His maltreatment of prisoners is now a tv show while his other duties get pushed aside. Prof. Turley is correct that he is a felon’s best friend if thousands of warrants are ignored. It would be nice if the Feds could put this guy behind bars and save the taxpayers of Maricopa County some money and allow someone to come in and clear up the backlog of unserved warrants.
From the article:
“….whether his office is engaging in “patterns or practices of discriminatory police practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures.”
I live in Maricopa County and I can assure you there’s no “whether” about the Sheriff’s “…unconstitutional searches and seizures”. Deputies would drive up to a Hispanic looking individual walking or standing on the street and demand proof of citizenship. There are literally millions of American-born citizens of Hispanic descent in this area. Until recently, they thought they were like all other American citizens and did not need to carry a copy of their birth certificate or passport to walk in their own town unharrassed by the police. Sheriff Joe’s actions have changed that attitude.
Woo-Hoo. rafflaw and rcampbell, you’re darned right!!!
It’s about time.
Maybe there is divine retribution after all. I would like this bastard to spend his time dressed in pink in one of his own tents.
This guy has been out of control for a long time, intimidating local citizens and elected officials alike. Kinda makes one wonder who was Arpaio’s “rabbi” prior to governor Napolitano taking a federal job.
Where is he getting “green bologna”?Not “soylent green” I hope.
enibob:
“It’s people. Soylent Green is people !!!!”
“Say it aint so, Joe!”
Sherrif Joe Arpaio. His institutions Guilty of negligent homicide. I personally have been a prisoner and have seen amendment rights such as habeus corpus denied by these sadistic prison guards.
(sherrif joe’s henchmen) I was wrongfully arrested on a warrant after appearing in court. I’ve seen him plea for fair treatment of animals so they have room to stretch their limbs in their cages, yet won’t give the same freedom to human beings, stacked into (the matrix, 4th ave jail)rooms like SARDINES,unable to do anything but stand shoulder to shoulder often for days at a time wearing the unsentenced stripes, WHILE THERE WERE CLEARLY EMPTY ROOMS THAT WOULD HOUSE OTHERS MORE SANITARILY AND HUMANE…
If ever you have heard the term innocent until proven guilty, the twisted hell hole called 4th ave will wretch your stomach seeing minor offenders being treated worse than anything i have ever seen…
Meanwhile, Phoenix is now labeled as the 2nd most dangerous city in the world , only to Mexico for kidknapping….so while Arpaio is doing his job, and while we can all admit he also has an ego, “dont most politician’s, we still suffer from inadequate law enforcement…there’s is a thankless job, I wouldn’t want it, their damned if they do and damned if they dont.
When they come into our nneighborhoods and ticket for speeding, we want to know why they dont go and catch real crooks and bad guys, …and the next day when someone runs over the kids in the neighborhood, we want to know where were the police patrols…
NOTHING the Justice department reviews will show that Arpaio or his staff has done is wrong cncerning these arrest of illegals, they have always to date had some complaint from citizens outside the Sherriff’s department that caused them to act….damned if they do and damed if they dont…
Want to improve the situation, then start policing your own, your own kids, your own neighborhood, and your own government…
Stop being so self centeed, and partisipate1
Shawn,
doesn’t the fact that Phoenix is the 2nd most dangerous city raise any questions in your mind, like for instance maybe Arizonans need to re-think their law enforcement system. Do you really think that rising kidnapping rates are solely because of illegal aliens? LEO’s jobs are tough, but the good ones work within the law and do not let their ego get the best of them.
Arpaio is nothing but a bully with a badge, who hasn’t the faintest idea of what good law enforcements or our Constitution
entails.
I’ve read the pablum from the uninformed long enough…crime in Arizona and specifically Phoenix is down 24% this year.
The reason – Arpaio began enforcing the Employer Sanctions Law voted in by the residents and fought against by Janet Napolitano and Mayor Phil Gordon.
This city was becoming a cesspool with the taxpayers having to foot the bill for illegal, scofflaw, scumbags who violate our sovereignty everyday and absorb education, medical and even insurance benefits.
Here’s one example: Four days after 9/11 while traveling to work at Luke AFB my car was T-boned by — you guessed it – an illegal who had no ID, no License, no insurance. This clown wasn’t arrested at the time because only ICE could take charge of illegals. Now, we are running them out of the state and crime is receding. IF my Turley is really concerned about taxpayers having to pay for Federal investigation — tell Big Brother to get out of Arizona (at Napolitano’s urging).
TJ:
“I’ve read the pablum from the uninformed long enough…crime in Arizona and specifically Phoenix is down 24% this year.”
**************
Nazi crime rates were surprising low too, and Stalin is reputed to have said that, “The only real power comes out of a long rifle.” They didn’t like immigrants either so Arpaio seems to have hit the trifecta of totalitarians. As for Big Brother leaving, and if it’s ok with you, can we take our money back too since you Arizonians get about $1.30 in federal money for every dollar you pay. Sorry about your auto accident, but do you think that white hood you had on at the time contributed to the collision?
Mespo:
“Sorry about your auto accident, but do you think that white hood you had on at the time contributed to the collision?”
LOL, they do have eye holes, but I guess peripheral vision is greatly reduced.
TJ:
Are you really a Nazi, if so lets talk.
Dieter Meier
If you don’t want to do the time, do not commit the crime. If he is sooooo horrible why is he being re-elected. But I am sure, people who commit crimes are good people and they did not mean to murder someone or rape someone. They are good. They just had ________ (insert excuse here) . Oh by the way, entering into a country illegally is a crime and you should be deported. Period. Just like illegal immigrants entering the southern border of Mexico. They are not tolerated and they are deported.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32243159/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/
Oh, wait . . . it gets better.
Arpaio is going to do whatever he wants it would seem.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/31/joe-arpaio-ignores-feds-w_n_248926.html
Nice. See DOJ? This is what happens when you don’t prosecute traitors and war criminals within our own system: a blatant disregard for the rule of law even by members of law enforcement.
Good job, jackasses. Enjoy reaping your crop.
Buddha,
If Joe Arpaio isn’t the most loathsome man in the US, he is certainly in the top 5.
Well Mike, if you like him now, check out this bit evidence manipulation. The linked story links to two news – AZ based – reports that are the real red meat here:
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/09/08/15/212254/Arizona-Judge-Tells-Sheriff-Reveal-Password-Or-Face-Contempt
Arpaio and his guys have giant brass cajones. I’m talking wheelbarrow sized. I’ll have to give them that.
More on Arpaio’s computer grab:
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/08/10/daily68.html
Buddha,
When people discuss if the “brown shirts” are here the answer is good ole Joe and his boys. It’s not brass cojones, it’s the tactics of a Fascist thug.
Mike,
I have to agree. After reading the latest developments in this story, it occurred to me that if you put the SS in place of Arpaio’s boys and paper records in place of computer records that this story could have been written in Germany circa 1937. And sadly enough, that is a 100% hyperbole free statement.
Upon further reflection, perhaps the Gestapo is a better analogy. Not much better, but more accurate as a tactical comparison.
According to the Arizona Republic and the Phoenix Business Journal there are unsubstantiated reports the FBI have now started questioning officials about Arpaio and the Tent City. The FBI naturally declined comment.
Arpaio stripped of some authority.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/10/03/20091003arpaio-ice1003.html