My Turn: Paul Penzone's law-enforcement circus is just beginning

Former chief deputy: If Sheriff Paul Penzone was serious about making a safe community, he'd seize more drugs, arrest more people - and actually enforce the law.

Jerry Sheridan
AZ I See It
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone

Paul Penzone’s My Turn (”Where we're taking the sheriff's department after Joe Arpaio,” Aug. 6) was entertaining. His criticism of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, however, is unwarranted.

I don’t have space to explain Arpaio’s defense here. Suffice it to say he is appealing. Police unions throughout the state, representing more than 18,000 police officers, endorsed Arpaio against Penzone in the last two elections.

Arpaio is nationally and internationally recognized for his leadership and support of law enforcement. The faith in MCSO by law-abiding citizens in Maricopa County has been due to his long history and efforts in fighting crime and illegal immigration.

How do meetings keep us safe?

It sure seems like Penzone is taking the path of least resistance and avoiding controversy when it comes to MCSO. Eliminating pink underwear, the tank and Tent City are celebrated activities.

Having community meetings and advisory boards are nice things to focus on if you want to appease those left-wing liberal George Soros types who supported you for office. It is estimated that Soros pumped in more than $3 million to defeat Sheriff Arpaio.

Penzone also accepted more than $12,000 from the owners of the Phoenix New Times and Backpage.com. Lacey and Larkin are under a federal grand jury investigation for conspiracy of sex crimes. (Why did The Arizona Republic leave this out of its April 14 article but named other politicians who received money?)

The problem comes when Penzone says things like he wants to build a “safe, secure, respectful community,” and “MCSO is leading education efforts … to deal with the opium epidemic.”

Arrests and drug seizures are down

Experienced law-enforcement executives – Penzone retired as a sergeant who spent most of his time in the public relations arena – know that arresting criminals and taking heroin and other opioids off the street help accomplish safe communities. Penzone has done nothing to get heroin out of Maricopa County.

In the first six months of his leadership, the Maricopa County Drug Suppression Task Force confiscated a mere 3.4 kilos of heroin. During the first six months of 2016 under the leadership of Sheriff Arpaio 1,441 kilos of heroin were seized. Marijuana seizures for the same time — Penzone: 4,683 kilos, Arpaio: 9,663 kilos.

PENZONE:17 things you can expect from me as sheriff

Another way to combat drug dealers and make our neighborhoods safe is to legally seize their assets and money. Under Penzone, they seized $137,681 and under Arpaio $1,285,950. Also, overall patrol statistics like arrests, traffic citations and DUIs are down more than 50 percent under Penzone’s administration.

Focusing efforts on enforcing the law is not the “safe,” controversy-free way to spend time in office; it is what real law enforcement officials do. Keeping people safe involves risk.

Investigate this lack of enforcement

Talk about playing it safe. Sheriff Arpaio and I filed an appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals questioning Judge G. Murray Snow’s ruling that has cost taxpayers many millions. It outlined Snow’s bias, unethical behavior and violations of the U.S. Constitution.

A ruling in our favor would have had the effect of negating his prior orders, saving millions and relieving MCSO of the burdens of his overreaching intrusions. Penzone wasted no time dropping the appeal months ago and, in effect, abandoned any chance of bringing MCSO, future sheriffs and county taxpayers relief.

Pay attention to the upcoming turmoil over pay increases and internal investigations. Why have The Republic and other media outlets not investigated the severe fall from productivity and lack of enforcement actions since Penzone took office? Or the fact that he has alienated his own employees by locking the doors to the administrative area?

Penzone’s comment about the “circus” leaving town is amusing. Many current employees say the circus has just arrived.

Jerry Sheridan is a 38-year veteran of the MCSO and spent his last six years as the chief deputy for Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Email him at gasheridan@msn.com.

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