Penzone says efforts to manage MCSO resources being misrepresented

PHOENIX – Despite what you may have seen on social media, Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said he isn’t encouraging citizens to snitch on fellow Arizonans over violations of the state’s coronavirus stay-at-home order.

In fact, his deputies aren’t making arrests or writing citations related to the order.

Penzone told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Monday his agency is asking people to submit COVID-19 violation complaints to its existing tip line or online portal to make better use of personnel and the 911 system, not to encourage reports.

“In conflict with what was represented, we were not trying to expand the idea of ‘please call us,’” Penzone said.

“We were trying to diminish the demand on our resources so that we can focus on public safety, on calls of crime where deputies should be dispatched as a priority.”

Penzone said civilian investigators will look into tips and report back to supervisors, who will in turn determine whether metro Phoenix deputies should be dispatched.

And rather than arrest possible violators or write tickets, deputies will leave it up to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to decide if charges should be pressed.

“We are just going to write up a report and the let the prosecutor’s office determine if, in fact, there is a criminal offense,” he said.

Penzone said his office has received more than 300 calls from the community about businesses possibly violating Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive order, which went into effect March 31 and last week was extended to May 15 with modifications.

On Saturday, state Rep. Ben Toma, a Peoria Republican, took to social media to call the use of the tip line “deeply disturbing.”

This is just plain wrong and deeply disturbing: tip line to "report" neighbors who violate the stay at home order advertized by Sheriff Penzone. I truly hope this ends and we return to the home of the free and th brave…not home of the snitches. Reminds me of Communist Romania. pic.twitter.com/S26Kw3eXsl

— Ben Toma (@RepBenToma) May 3, 2020

Penzone, a Democrat who is up for reelection this year, bristled at such accusations.

“Decisive decision was made to divert calls for service from our call center to our website so that we can better manage those without impeding or undermining our ability to meet public safety demands,” he said.

“Anybody who represents it otherwise is just being dishonest.”

Earlier Monday, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb told KTAR News’ Arizona Morning News he thought Ducey’s stay-at-home executive order violated the U.S. Constitution, and he said he wouldn’t enforce it.

Penzone said he’s asked the Maricopa County attorney to look into the constitutionality of the order and is awaiting a response.

“In the meantime, we are being thoughtful and being responsible. … If we see a circumstance that is egregious, we will write a report, we’ll get some video evidence of it, and we’ll submit it,” he said. “And if at a later time the prosecutor’s office deems it a violation of law then they can take the appropriate steps.

“I need to first and foremost make sure our resources are available for people who have needs. The crime rate is still the same level it was before the pandemic.”

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