Joe Arpaio: Don't Bother Me About Botched Sex-Crime Investigations -- Can't You See I'm Holding a Puppy!

What kind of heartless soul would hassle a 79-year-old man holding a puppy about botched sex-crime investigations? No-nonsense 12News reporter Brahm Resnik, that's who.Resnik tracked down Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the Christmas party for the MCSO's MASH Unit to ask him how more than 400 sex-crime investigations were...

By James King

December 14, 2011

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

What kind of heartless soul would hassle a 79-year-old man holding a puppy about botched sex-crime investigations? No-nonsense 12News reporter Brahm Resnik, that's who.

Resnik tracked down Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the Christmas party for the MCSO's MASH Unit to ask him how more than 400 sex-crime investigations were botched on his watch.

Read all about the sheriff's sex-crime follies here.

The sheriff responded by working himself into a huff -- grumbling that the problem was solved in 2007 -- and then holding a puppy up to the camera.

If this pup happens to be in need of a name, "Smoke" or "Mirrors" each have a nice ring to them.

See video of Arpaio using a puppy to deflect questions about bungled sex-crime investigations below.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Phoenix New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.