Feds Issue “Scathing” Report Against Sheriff Joe Arpaio
You don’t have to live in Maricopa County or even the state of Arizona to recognize the name Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He’s the one who keeps inmates in pink underwear in a tent city and who is a vocal critic of (what he says are illegal) Latin American immigrants. In their report, the Department of Justice accused Arpaio of a pattern of racial profiling and discrimination. And, they say their investigation isn’t over.
The DOJ investigation into the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) began three years ago and it continues to this day. The feds became interested in Arpaio in the midst of countless complaints of racial profiling and over bias in his policing practices and policies. These complaints, the DOJ found, were based in fact.
One of Arpaio’s favorite practices, and one that the DOJ has particular problems with, is his immigration “sweeps,” in which he targets groups, neighborhoods and businesses in an effort to root out illegal immigrants. The problem is that the sweeps frequently target areas where there is no known illegals and instead may only be marked by a group of Latinos gathering outside.
Thomas Perez, in charge of the DOJ’s civil rights division, says, “Arpaio’s own actions have helped nurture MCSO’s culture of bias,” noting there are no policies in place to safeguard against such violations.
Arpaio, and his employees, has frequently been criticized for assuming anyone speaking Spanish or with brown skin is an illegal immigrant and worthy of detention until their immigration status is confirmed. U.S. citizens have been caught up in his sweeps and people have been held without any criminal cause.
Another area of concern is in the county jails, where inmates who don’t speak English are regularly berated and referred to with racial slurs. The language barriers are frequently used to punish non-English-speakers by sending them to segregation for failing to follow commands in a language they don’t understand.
Arpaio has until January 4th to agree to make significant changes before the federal government sues him and the department and leaves the outcome in the hands of a judge. Such measures would also likely result in the loss of millions in federal funding. The MCSO will be required to set up policies against discrimination and improve training among other things.
But, the DOJ warns, their investigation isn’t over. They plan on continuing their look at reports of excessive force against Latinos, mishandled sex crime cases, and the damage that the office may have done to encourage witnesses and victims to come forward and report crimes.
When one of the top law enforcement agencies in your state is criticized for arresting and detaining people without criminal cause, it’s a real problem. There are certain procedures and laws that must be followed even when dealing with suspected criminals. If you’ve been charged with a crime and believe your rights were violated by the police, we may be able to help.
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