Arizona is rich with outlaw-lawman history. Because of this, the exploits of "legendary" Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio are very interesting. His conservative admirers, who are legion, like to compare him with Wyatt Earp. Unfortunately, after getting to know Sheriff Joe and his Keystone Kops, one realizes there is a Tombstone analogy with Sheriff Joe, but it isn't Wyatt Earp. Fact is, there's another famous (or infamous) Tombstone and Cochise County lawman who is Sheriff Joe personified - Cochise County Sheriff John Behan! In fact, if you know anything about Tombstone during those wild and crazy days of the early 1880s, you will know that John Behan controlled a huge political, legal, and publicity machine. He was corrupt, charming, loved the press, and completely incompetent. Yep - that's our Sheriff Joe Arpaio! Want to know more, just watch both Tombstone & Wyatt Earp. You'll soon get the picture.
Over the years a few publications in Arizona have had the courage to take on Joe Arpaio and expose the abject incompetence and the cruelty in the way he has mistreated inmates and the way he has trampled the rights of those who are incarcerated in Maricopa County. Also there is the matter of nearly a million dollars in investment money Sheriff Joe never bothered to disclose. Yep - just like John Behan.
The Phoenix New Times has reported that Sheriff Joe (Arizona’s very own version of the Sheriff of Nottingham) managed to “hide” nearly $800,000 in cold hard cash in three real estate investments unearthed by writer John Dougherty in July 2004. Dougherty also discovered Arpaio managed to hide cash in six additional pieces of commercial and residential real estate. The question is where did a life-time public servant acquire nearly a cool million to invest in real estate?
There may be perfectly logical and abjectly honorable explanations for the money. That’s not our current problem with Sheriff Joe. Neither is the fact that male inmates are required to wear pink under-ware. He re-invented the chain gang. Chain gangs have a somewhat romantic flare to them and do have a tendency to inspire many a muse. No one can deny that Workin’ on a Chain Gang isn’t a classic. More than one country songwriter owes a gold record or two to ‘the chain gang’. So what if the bologna Arpaio has ordered for daily sandwiches is spoiled and rancid and the bread is moldy? Many a health expert as extolled the virtues of a modest diet and weight loss. Housing inmates in tents is inexpensive and keeps them in touch with nature. It has a calming effect, even on those balmy days when the Phoenix temperature reaches well over 100 degrees. In fact in 2007, the temperature was over 110 degrees at least 32 days. Heat is good for arthritis. Sheriff Joe is just given those lucky enough to be incarcerated in his jail system the Arizona Resort Spa Treatment for free! Sheriff Joe is so good at this, in his dozen or so years in office over-seeing a $140 million budget, he’s never once been audited!
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Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
It seems like the request for info in the suit was put together by lawyers rather than by anyone who knew what they were talking about when it comes to the web. Most of that information would be utterly useless.
Interesting article, though. I had a fairly positive image of Arpaio based on some of the nontraditional methods he's used which have gotten publicity, but it sounds like he's let success and too much power go to his head.
Dave
2 - STM
So, is the crime rate down significantly in Maricopa County, and can we trust the statistics anyway?
If not, Sheriff Joe should lose his tin badge.
The pink undies though. What's wrong with that??
Perhaps he could shift to leopardskin thongs if he really wants to embarrass them.
And nothing like a bit of outdoor living to make a man of yer!
3 - Dave Nalle
Here's a rather (much) more postive take on Sheriff Joe and the results he gets with his methods, both in saving money and rehabilitating prisoners.
Dave
4 - SJ Reidhead
Friday afternoon the Maricopa County Attorney stunned everyone when he announced that the special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik had been dismissed and the case against the Phoenix New Times had been dropped.
SJ Reidhead
5 - moonraven
Wouldn't you know that this tinhorn Ike Clanton would be one of Nalle's heroes.
If I remember correctly, Ike even RAN AWAY during the Gunflight at the OK Corral.
Chickenshit [Personal attack deleted by Comments Editor]
Times don't change. Neither does scum.
6 - Dave Nalle
MR, the only thing I did was post a link to the other viewpoint on Arpaio. I didn't say a word about what I think of him.
Think about it. He's a drug warrior and anti immigration. Why would I support him?
Dave
7 - moonraven
[Personal attack deleted by Comments Editor]
8 - Cindy D
"Could this be the case that makes just reading the internet a crime?"
No. It's just a ploy to harass the newspaper.
9 - A speller
Any chance you would consider a dictionary? The word is "versus" not "verses."