The DOJ’s Lawsuit Against Sheriff Arpaio

by: Candice Lanier

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to file a lawsuit today, alleging racial profiling against Sheriff Arpaio’s Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.  Arpaio received a letter from the DOJ citing stalled negotiations between the DOJ and Arpaio’s representatives.

The lawsuit is the culmination of of a three-year investigation into the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.  Arpaio’s Office stands accused of discrimination against Hispanics under its jurisdiction.  Initially, plans were made to negotiate an agreement between the two camps, with a lawsuit threatened if they could not come up with a resolution.
According to AZ Central:

“The sheriff’s proposal mirrors many of the recommendations contained in a 128-page draft agreement that federal officials shared with the Sheriff’s Office earlier this year. That document was supposed to serve as the basis for negotiations as the two sides worked to resolve the discrimination allegations. But talks broke down before they got started, as Arpaio’s team refused to meet the Justice Department’s demand for a court-appointed monitor to oversee whatever agreement was reached.”

Sheriff Arpaio, however, said that “when you’re talking about this sensitive problem called illegal immigration, you can’t make everyone happy. Everyone has their own ideas … I’m not going to stop enforcing those laws as long as I’m the sheriff. You have to try to let the public know that, (and) the Hispanic community, and try to educate them and let them know what we’re doing.  It’s difficult sometimes to get the message across.”

In his defense, the Sheriff countered that it was the DOJ that stopped the negotiations.   “They cut off negotiations when they said we are not going to talk any further unless we take control of your organization through monitors and they stopped,” he said.  Arpaio insisted he will not accept having an external monitor over his office, because it would amount to turning over all decision making power to the federal government.

“I would like to get this resolved but I am not going to give up the authority of the elected sheriff,” Arpaio said.