Maricopa County files motion to end costly federal court oversight of sheriff’s office

PHOENIX — Maricopa County has filed a motion to end federal court oversight of the sheriff’s office stemming from a 2007 racial profiling lawsuit.

It’s long overdue, according to Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin. He said the county spends over $30 million a year on compliance, plus $2 million on the monitor leading the oversight team, Robert Warshaw, who resides outside Maricopa County.

“The sheriff’s office has done everything asked of it, and we’re showing the judge that success has been made,” Galvin told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday. “There’s a change of circumstances here that we believe necessitates an ending of this federal oversight after 15 years.”

Why are Maricopa County leaders trying to end federal oversight costs?

The federal monitoring stems from a 2013 verdict in a racial profiling lawsuit during former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s tenure. The county said in May the cost of the case has been about $350 million overall.

Galvin said ending the oversight not only would save taxpayers millions each year but also free up MCSO manpower currently tied to compliance instead of patrolling the streets.

“This is really in behalf of the taxpayers,” Galvin said. “This is the most significant event of my chairmanship, but this is a historic moment for Maricopa County.”

What action did Maricopa County take to end court oversight?

Galvin said he doesn’t know what will happen yet, but the most important thing is that the board filed a Rule 60(b) motion to end the federal oversight through its outside legal council.

“What we are showing and what we’re telling … the judge, which is true, is that the orders have been a success,” Galvin said. “Fifteen, 20 years ago, when the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office was under a different sheriff, there were different policies enacted or being promulgated that brought about the lawsuit, but all of those policies and practices are not in place now.”

What’s known as the Ortega Melendres case, or just Melendres, started in 2007 after Latino plaintiffs sued MCSO for racial profiling during traffic stops.

“No one can say today that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, they’re telling deputies to racially profile drivers, cars, what have you …  or allowing them to or letting them get away with it,” Galvin said. “The sheriff’s office has achieved 100% compliance in all of the issues that necessitated the original lawsuit being filed.”

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