Inside Joe Arpaio: Arizona Deputy Calls Him A “Disgrace To The Department”

Joe Arpaio, the Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, is the subject of intense scrutiny due to his often violent and inhumane treatment of those he suspects of being Mexican. Arpaio’s deputies have voiced their concerns, describing the sheriff as a “sadistic S-O-B” who has no regard for the rights of those he presumes to be poor or of a different skin color. 

Arpaio’s notoriety stems from his inhumane treatment of inmates, including housing them outdoors in tents during the scorching Arizona summers, where temperatures can reach 150 degrees. His chain marches of prisoners through the streets of Phoenix wearing only underwear and flip-flops are designed to humiliate inmates, and his SWAT raids have resulted in tragedy, with one incident resulting in a pet dog’s death. Arpaio has also implemented chain gangs of female and juvenile prisoners, a practice reminiscent of pre-civil rights era Southern prisons.

The Sheriff’s actions have been widely condemned, and many have called for him to be charged with civil rights law violations. Arpaio’s disregard for the rights of those he presumes to be criminal has been a source of concern for many, and his actions have been deemed inhumane and unjust.

Protests against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s reign of terror are growing, as thousands of people marched seven miles through Phoenix streets on Saturday. Arpaio has been accused of targeting Hispanics and illegal immigrants, and abusing his power since long before he became sheriff in 1992. His treatment of prisoners has been so widely criticized that an Icelandic court refused to extradite two people wanted in Maricopa County. Arpaio’s authority to enforce immigration laws, granted by the federal government during George Bush’s presidency, has been called into question by Salvador Reza, who helped organize the Walk for Respect. Growing discontent among Arpaio’s own deputy’s has been reported, with one former colleague recalling how a good Saturday night for the sheriff was “getting drunk and beating the shit out of Algerians or queers or anybody different.” As the protests against Arpaio’s actions continue to mount, the White House has referred questions about his authority to the Department of Homeland Security.

Harsh Reprisals

Under mounting public pressure, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has reportedly reacted in a manner characteristic of bullies: by lashing out at those closest to him. According to some deputies, when a small group of officers approached him to protest his treatment of suspected illegal aliens, he assigned them to what is commonly known as the “vomit patrol” – cleaning up the jail’s drunk tank in the morning or patrolling areas with a high number of drunk-and-disorderly 911 calls. Unhappy officers have also been assigned to chain gang duty, standing guard over prisoners in the scorching Arizona sun with no respite from the heat.

Joe is worse than a nasty drunk, the police warned me. He is selfish, enraged, and revengeful.

But nobody ever voiced a grievance to him again.

Instead, they carefully look for journalists and blogs willing to hear their story, frequently one at a time and with a great lot of caution and reluctance. Many deputies ordered me to fuck off when I spoke to them on the phone; one threatened to kill me if I ever set foot in Maricopa County, while another said, “The damn wetbacks get what they deserve,” before slamming the phone down.

Joe Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, has become a costly disgrace for the county. The county has paid out more than $50 million to settle lawsuits filed by people who have been hurt, crippled, or even died as a result of Arpaio’s actions. In one case, a diabetic prisoner died in custody after being denied access to her prescribed insulin. 

Deputies of Arpaio’s department have reported that he actively encourages violence against prisoners, and that he believes officers are not doing their job unless they rough up prisoners. One deputy, who wished to remain anonymous, said that his wife convinced him to speak out against Arpaio, as he was in danger of becoming as bad as the sheriff himself. 

The deputy also said that the department attracts a lot of violent officers, and that loyalty is a big deal in policing. He added that he was contacted by a website looking for the ‘inside scoop’ on Arpaio, and it took him a month or longer to finally speak with someone from there. 

The cost of Arpaio’s actions is clear, and it is high. Maricopa County must now pay a much higher deductible of $5 million per action due to the sheer number of lawsuits against the sheriff. It is time for Arpaio to be voted out of office and for the county to move on from this costly and dangerous disgrace.

The number of victims as a result is sickeningly infinite.

  • 33-year-old mentally challenged Charles Agster passed away in the county jail three days after being restrained by sheriff’s deputies and placed in a “spit hood” when he had a seizure. Three days after that, doctors pronounced him brain dead, and a jury gave his parents a $9 million verdict.
  • Former Brigham Young University football player Scott Norberg passed away after being repeatedly stunned with a stun pistol by detention authorities. Amnesty International claims that when authorities removed Norberg from his cell and placed him in a restraint chair with a towel covering his face for the electrocution, he was already tied and lying face down. Deputies accused Norberg of attacking them once Norberg’s body was found, despite the fact that he was shackled at the time. The county paid $8.25 million to resolve a lawsuit.
  • Inmate Brian Crenshaw, who was legally blind and mentally challenged, died while being confined in the Maricopa County Jail. A $2 million award followed a lawsuit brought by Crenshaw’s family. Arpaio’s office was accused of destroying evidence, same like in the Norberg case.
  • Richard Post, a paraplegic prisoner, was detained for marijuana possession. Guards forced him into a restraint chair, breaking his neck in the process. Video of the incident shows guards grinning and laughing as Post is hurt, losing the use of his arms. The settlement for the now quadriplegic Post was $800,000.
  • An inmate at Tent City named Jeremy Flanders was attacked using rebar tent posts that had not been driven into the earth. Arpaio made the decision not to properly secure the stakes, despite the fact that they had been used as weapons during a prior riot at the institution. The plaintiff successfully argued during the trial that the sheriff and his officers were aware that prisoners were using rebar as weapons but did nothing to stop it. The assault caused irreversible brain damage to Flanders. He received $635,532, of which 35% was attributable to Arpaio personally.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has been accused of numerous cases of abuse, with hundreds of similar cases documented in court files. This has prompted the US Department of Justice to launch an investigation into Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his department. Arpaio claims the inquiry is politically motivated, but the real question is whether his constituents will continue to support him in the next election. A coalition of Hispanic, civil rights, civil liberties and other activist groups may be able to challenge him, but given the county’s political and racial make-up, it is unlikely that Arpaio will be voted out of office. The Wild West has always been a harsh place, where justice is often disregarded. Joe Arpaio seems to think he is both judge and jury, but this is not what justice in the United States is about. His actions are not representative of the majority of Maricopa County residents, and it is time for justice to be served.

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