Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

Lane Halona Rapes Woman in Tempe, Passes Out, Gets Arrested, Apparently Kills Himself

Rather than face the consequences for charges related to the brutal rape of a woman in Tempe, it looks like 23-year-old Lane Halona killed himself this weekend.Halona was arrested on March 17, the morning after he punched a woman in the back of the head, pulled her behind some bushes, and sexually a ... More >>

MCSO Gets 4,000 Pounds of Free Weed That Was Left in the Desert

If you happened to leave about 4,000 pounds of weed in southern Maricopa County, you're about to be very disappointed.The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says deputies in a helicopter spotted two trucks covered in camouflage tarps in a desert area near Gila Bend, which were "stuffed so tightly with ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Deputies Raid Taco Shops in Workplace Immigrant Roundup Number 72

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office is proud to announce that 11 taco shop employees are off the streets today, thanks to the boys in beige.This is the 72nd such workplace raid by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, which have been branded as "employer sanctions operations," "criminal employment operation ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Won't Do His Job, So Marshal David Gonzales Does It for Him

What would it be like, I wonder, if Maricopa County had a sheriff who just kept his head down and did his job, rather than what we currently have, a corrupt gasbag who only cares about getting his corpse-like mug on the boob tube? See also: -Joe Arpaio's Lawyers Fail to Get Sheriff Off the Hook in ... More >>

Ex-DPS Officer Threw His Mail in the Garbage (Along With His Bondage Child-Porn Collection, Allegedly)

Former Arizona Department of Public Safety officer Roger Forney did not do such a good job getting rid of his alleged collection of child porn depicting boys "in bondage and sexual torture situations," according to details laid out by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.Forney's first problem was t ... More >>

Arizona Immigration Laws (and Joe Arpaio) Called Out by Cato Institute for Economic Woes

The Cato Institute -- a libertarian think-tank -- needed just seven words to sum up its report today on how Arizona's immigration laws are affecting business, and put those words right at the front of its analysis: "Arizona's immigration laws have hurt its economy."Not only that, but the Maricopa Co ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Early Christmas Gift from President Obama and the U.S. Attorney's Office

See also: Andy Thomas Needs a Perp Walk With His Papi, Sheriff Joe Arpaio See also: No Charges for Arpaio: U.S. Closes Criminal Investigation of Maricopa Sheriff and Former County Attorney Andrew Thomas See also: The Feds Have Evidence That Joe Arpaio Broke the Law -- When Will The Indictments Come? ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Rationalized by Lawyer Tim Casey in Closing Written Arguments

See also: Joe Arpaio Struggles in Racial-Profiling Trial to Answer Examples of Seemingly Bigoted LeadershipSee also: Joe Arpaio Looks Like Tired, Old Racist on Stand During Racial-Profiling TrialSee also: Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Trial Begins, and, Yes, He's Guilty as SinSee also: Joe Arpaio's ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Trial Ends, and Yes, Joe's Still Guilty as Sin

See also: Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Trial Begins, and, Yes, He's Guilty as Sin See also: Joe Arpaio's Taliban, Nativist Steve Camarota, and More Problems for the MCSO See also: Joe Arpaio's (ahem) Legal Scholar Brett "Shut Up" Palmer and Flunky Brian Sands Under Oath As U.S. District Judge G. M ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Trial Begins, And Yes, He's Guilty as Sin

See also: Joe Arpaio Racial-Profiling Trial Draws Protestors' Calls for Justice on Opening Day See also: Joe Arpaio's Racial Profiling Case Costs County Close To $1 Million, So Far See also: Joe Arpaio Heads to Trial July 19 in Racial Profiling Lawsuit Nothing to see here, move along. That's the m ... More >>

Joe Arpaio on Blast by Tom Perez, Courtesy of Dennis Gilman

Tom Perez blasts Sheriff Joe in Phoenix yesterday Hey, did you hear that the U.S. Department of Justice is suing Sheriff Joe Arpaio?Well, in case you were hibernating beneath a saguaro yesterday, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Tom Perez was in town to blast everyone's least-favorite sheriff for his ... More >>

Joe Arpaio and MCSO Officially Sued by the Justice Department for Racial Discrimination

After a few rounds of threats, the Justice Department announced finally its lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Joe Arpaio this morning.The lawsuit addresses that "culture of bias" the Justice Department's been alleging since it released its findings in December, claimin ... More >>

Justice Department Lets MCSO Know It's Suin', While Joe Arpaio Releases Booklet Detailing How His Office Ought to Operate

The Department of Justice sent letters notifying Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Sheriff Joe Arpaio's lawyers that the DoJ's suing the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office "in order to remedy the serious Constitutional and federal law violations" the department found in its investigation.In ... More >>

Justice Department Investigating Montana Agencies Over Allegedly Bungled Sex-Crime Cases, Draws Comparison to MCSO

The Justice Department announced yesterday that it's investigating allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault around the Missoula, Montana area, including the University of Montana.According to the Justice Department, "This investigation will focus on allegations that [the Montana agencies] ... More >>

Justice Department to Bill Montgomery: What's Your Relationship With Joe Arpaio and MCSO?

Last week, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery shipped off a letter to the Justice Department, demanding the department's evidence of botched sex crimes by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.Montgomery wrote that withholding that evidence "may needlessly jeopardize prosecutions," and also ask ... More >>

Victims Wonder Why Arpaio Let Sex-Abuse Cases Languish

MCSO's Training 22 Military Vets to Be Detention Officers -- Let's Hope Taser Use 101 Is Part of The Curriculum

​The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office announced today that it's currently training 22 military veterans to be detention officers at the MCSO's jails.As you're probably aware, the MCSO currently has more than a few openings for detention officer gigs (more on that below).In October, Sheriff Joe Arp ... More >>

MCSO's in a New Reality Show -- Complete With Jailhouse, Race-Gang Justice

​When most people look at Tent City, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's infamous outdoor detention facility, they see a jail.Not Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- he, apparently, sees a stage...for a reality TV show.Yet again, Arpaio has opened the MCSO's doors to reality TV film crews -- this time for a ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Victim Marty Atencio in MCSO's "Safe Cell": Mike Manning Comments

Video of Atencio being stripped and left naked in a cell, taken from MCSO footage by Phoenix videographer Dennis Gilman. Note: Gilman obscured parts of Atencio's body to maintain the dignity of the victim. As with the first video, there is no sound.Above is more disturbing raw footage culled from th ... More >>

Federal Judge Questions Sheriff's Office's Right to Detain People Based on Scant Evidence of Crime

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow​Do Maricopa County Sheriff's Office have the right to detain you if you seem to be violating one element of a criminal statute?The office's lawyer, Tim Casey, is arguing with U.S. District Judge Murray Snow over that question right now in this morning's hearing in t ... More >>

Federal Judge Slams MCSO Policy, Says He'll Make Ruling in Melendres Racial-Profiling Case Within Two Days

Image: Ray SternLawyer Stanley Young, (left), said he was "encouraged" by a judge's comments in today's hearing on a racial profiling lawsuit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office. Next to Young is Dan Pochoda of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.​ U.S. District Judge Murray Snow tod ... More >>

Arpaio's Boys in Beige Say Sayonara to ICE Authority in Overly Dramatic Badge-Piling Ceremony

James KingMaricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio looks on as his detention officers kiss their ICE authority goodbye.​It's official: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office detention officers no longer have the authority to act as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in MCSO jails -- as was announced d ... More >>

Ohio Mayor Still Boycotting Arizona Over SB1070 -- and Joe Arpaio's Pissed

Columbus, Ohio Mayor Michael Coleman is still boycotting Arizona.​Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's pink panties are in a bit of a wad after an Ohio mayor refused to grant police officers in his city the permission to come to Arizona and train with the MCSO's Drug Recognition Unit, which Arpaio ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Opponent Mike Stauffer Looking For Campaign Volunteers

Scottsdale Lieutenant Mike Stauffer needs your help.​If you're interested in doing your part to put an end to Sheriff Joe Arpaio's tyrannical reign over Maricopa County, here is your chance.Arpaio's opponent in next year's GOP primary for sheriff, Scottsdale Lieutenant Mike Stauffer, is holding a ... More >>

No Charges for Arpaio's Office in Questionable Travel and Inmate Fund Expenses, U.S. Attorney's Office Decides

Dennis Burke has reviewed questionable practices at the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in regards to an inmate trust fund and travel expenses -- and concluded that nothing illegal occurred.​ Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke can't find any chargeable offenses after a review of the Maricopa ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Opponent Mike Stauffer and the (Possible) End of the Reality-Show Sheriff's Office

Mike Stauffer on what's wrong with Joe Arpaio: "where do I start?"​We had a chance this morning to grab a cup of coffee with Scottsdale Lieutenant Mike Stauffer, who is currently campaigning to unseat Joe Arpaio as the Republican nominee in next year's race for Maricopa County Sheriff.In short, wh ... More >>

Mike Stauffer, Candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff, Finds Joe Arpaio's 2011 as "Exceptional" as We Do

Mike Stauffer, candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff​Scottsdale police lieutenant, and candidate for Maricopa County sheriff, Mike Stauffer finds Sheriff Joe Arpaio's claim that 2011 has been an "exceptional year" for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office about as laughable as we do.See our story o ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, May 5, 2011

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Is "Disappointed" In County Attorney Andrew Thomas' Prosecutors. Seriously.

Apparently, prosecutors thought that calling Chief Deputy David Hendershott to testify would NOT help their case. Smart prosecutors.​In a press release issued last week, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office expressed "disappointment" with the fact that witnesses friendly to the sheriff, including ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Re-signs 287(g) Jails Agreement, According to Sources; ICE Vague on Specifics (w/Update)

Sources are telling me tonight that Joe Arpaio will soon announce that he has signed a new jails agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, one that will continue to allow ICE to partner with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in identifying and removing so-called crim ... More >>

Keeper of the Flames

L.A. Times reporter discusses award-winning wildfire series

Jarrett Maupin II Responds to Quotes in Sheriff's Report; Says He Believes Sheriff's Office Racially Profiles

Jarret Maupin II, in an impassioned phone call to New Times and in a comment posted today on our blog, now says that he "unequivocally" believes the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office commits racial profiling. Maupin claims his quotes to the contrary that turned up in a deputy's report were "complet ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, June 4, 2009

The Bird Dogs Joe Arpaio About Conan O’Brien and His Actions in the West Valley

MCSA Leader Raquel Teran Served with Bogus Summons by Sheriff's Deputies

MCSA lead organizer Raquel Teran: Maricopa County's version of the KGB paid her a little visit today. Seems like Sheriff Joe's goons at the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office can't go a day without abusing their power, and attempting to intimidate and silence their critics. Following the absurd arres ... More >>

Four MCSA Demonstrators Arrested Outside County Board of Supervisors Meeting, Dressed as Pets

A chicken (activist Chris Fleischman) is interrogated by plainclothes po-po.According to witnesses and a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, four members of Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, an activist group critical of the BOS and Sheriff Joe Arpaio, were arre ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's New Reality Show: Smile, We're Flushing Your Tax Dollars Down the Toilet

Just a few of the undercover deputies used on "Smile...You're Under Arrest!"L.A. publicists are wonderful folks. As I blogged a while back, a PR flack for the firm 5W PR contacted me in November and hooked me up with an interview with The Dirty's Nik Richie, a.k.a., Hooman Karamian, a.k.a., Corbin G ... More >>

The Not-So-Pious Partridge Calls Phoenix’s Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted a Wimp on Immigration

Did "Roatan Bruce" receive special consideration from the MCSO?

Guadalupe made it clear that Joe Arpaio’s attacking anyone with brown skin

More MCSO docs released in the Honduran scandal...

The Sheriff's Office's CYA report to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on the Honduran project.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio pays for the training of Honduran cops with RICO funds to the tune of around $32K, and counting.

Joe Arpaio's deputies placed "hold" on U.S. Citizen Israel Correa, failed to inform ICE.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Chief Deputy David Hendershott in Honduras???

Information Blockade

The sheriff's made a career of stonewalling critical media — the public's right to know be damned

J. Edgar Arpaio

Sheriff Joe's fashioning himself after the late FBI director, only (we think) without the women's underwear

Enemies List

Arpaio haters, perceived and otherwise, beware! Looks like Joe's up to his old tricks

The Devil's in the Details

Sheriff Arpaio uses police powers to shamefully punish enemies, protect pals and finance his campaign