ARIZONA NEWS

Maricopa County sheriff-elect looks back on his time working alongside Joe Arpaio

Nov 18, 2024, 11:58 AM

Maricopa County Sheriff-elect Jerry Sheridan, right, was chief deputy for the agency during the ten...

Maricopa County Sheriff-elect Jerry Sheridan, right, was chief deputy for the agency during the tenure of Joe Arpaio. (AP File Photos)

(AP File Photos)

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff-elect Jerry Sheridan said Friday that his old boss Joe Arpaio ended up more interested in being a celebrity than being sheriff.

“He was a great sheriff for a long time, and then he just — I don’t know what happened to him,” Sheridan told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos.

Sheridan, a Republican, will take the reins of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in January after defeating Democrat Tyler Kamp in the 2024 general election.

Sheridan has 40 years of experience with MCSO under four sheriffs. He started as an 18-year-old volunteer and rose through the ranks to become chief deputy, essentially acting as Arpaio’s right-hand man.

Sheriff-elect says Joe Arpaio got caught up in his celebrity status

However, the sheriff-elect said he didn’t always agree with how “America’s toughest sheriff” performed his duties, especially toward the end of his six-term, 24-year tenure.

“He won that election in 2012, and something kind of clicked in his brain, I think, in that he wasn’t really concerned with being the sheriff anymore as opposed to a celebrity,” Sheridan said.

Sheridan said Arpaio’s spotlight-chasing negatively impacted the agency during what ended up being his final term.

While that was difficult for Sheridan to see, he said he is probably better prepared to become sheriff because of it.

“He dumped a lot of things in my lap, which I guess was really good for me, because now I can walk in there on Jan. 1 and begin to make some positive changes right away because I know what to do,” he said.

What led to downfall of Joe Arpaio?

Arpaio eventually ran afoul of the law for the way he ran MCSO. In 2013, the courts found that the agency had engaged in a pattern of racially profiling Latino drivers during traffic stops.

When he ignored court orders to address the issue, he was found guilty on a misdemeanor charge of criminal contempt in 2017 — after he’d been voted out of office the previous year.

The conviction, however, was quickly cleared from his record after President Donald Trump pardoned him, but Arpaio never recovered politically. He unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2018, Maricopa County sheriff in 2020 (losing to Sheridan in the GOP primary) and Fountain Hills mayor in 2022 and 2024.

Sheridan said his focus will be on keeping his staff, inmates and the public safe when he’s sheriff – not on grabbing headlines.

“I’m not going to be chasing the media. I think that was ultimately the downfall of my old boss,” he said.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Police are investigating an officer-related shooting in Phoenix on Wednesday that left two people i...

Bailey Leasure

Suspects’ car crashes while fleeing police-involved shooting in Phoenix

Police are investigating an officer-related shooting in Phoenix on Wednesday that left two people injured.

3 hours ago

One woman has died after a crash in north Phoenix Tuesday, authorities said....

Bailey Leasure

North Phoenix collision leaves 1 woman dead, another hospitalized

One woman has died after a crash in north Phoenix on Tuesday, authorities said.

3 hours ago

Collision in Peoria...

Danny Shapiro

2 dead in Peoria collision; speed, impairment possible factors

Two people, an 86-year-old woman and 90-year-old man, died after a collision in Peoria on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

3 hours ago

One man has died and another is in critical condition after a shooting in west Phoenix on Tuesday, ...

Bailey Leasure

1 dead, 1 hospitalized after west Phoenix shooting

One man has died and another is in critical condition after a shooting in west Phoenix on Tuesday, authorities said.

5 hours ago

Health care for prisoners in Arizona...

Associated Press

Lawyers for inmates ask judge to take over health care services in Arizona prisons

Lawyers for 25,000 people incarcerated in Arizona have asked a judge to take over health care operations in state-run prisons and appoint an official to run them, saying the state is not capable of fixing deep failures in care even though it has been required to do so over the last decade.

6 hours ago

Follow @kstonezone...

Sponsored Content by Bright Wealth Management

How updating your estate plan is crucial in saving money

As you map out your estate plan, mapping out beneficiaries and keeping it up to date is key in order for the most funds possible to be passed down with ease.

Sponsored Articles

...

Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax

How to optimize the most money in 2024 tax returns

As tax season begins, getting your financials in order is important to maximize your tax return.

...

Fiesta Bowl Foundation

Join us for the 52nd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade

The 52nd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe returns on Saturday, December 28, at 10 a.m.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to save money on retirement planning following 2024 election

PHOENIX -- With the 2024 election over, economic changes could impact how people plan for retirement as 2025 is on the horizon.

Maricopa County sheriff-elect looks back on his time working alongside Joe Arpaio